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LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

THE NEW YORK
PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOK, LENOX AND
M i.

CI tie (Ira.rrfiri

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LIFE SCENES

MESSIAH.

<L^

REV. RUFUS W. CLARK,

)IR OF EMERSON," "HEAVEN ANl
LECTURES TO YOUNG MEN." ETC.

AUTHOR OF "memoir OF EMERSON," "HEAVEN AND ITS EMBLEM-

BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY JOHN P. JEWETT AND COMPANY

CLEVELAND, OHIO:

JEWETT, PROCTOR, AND WORTinNGTON.

NEAV YORK : SHELDON, LAMPORT AND BLAKEMAN.

1855.

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TiLDi:;, rv'j;:DAT:o>:s
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Eiitered accordiug to Act of Congress, in the year lSo4, by
JOHN r. JEWETT & CO.

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachnsetts.

ALLEN AND FAftNff\M» «TSRE0TYPEa3 AND PRINTERS-

INTRODUCTORY NOTE-

This volume goes forth as a messenger to those
who believe the " truth as it is in Jesus." It invites
them to meditate upon the virtues and mission of
their illustrious Redeemer, and mingle in those scenes
of thrilling interest which constitute a prominent part
of his history and labors.

The great force and beauty of the Christian dis-
pensation lie in the fact, that every principle ad-
vanced by its founder, was illustrated in his life. He
gave to the world a system of theology, not only
surpassingly rich and sublime in its doctrines, and
glorious in its unfoldings of immortal blessedness,
but associated with a character eminent for holiness,
benevolence, and every divine perfection. He lived
out his own system, taught by his deeds as well as
his words, and thus gained an imperishable influence,
and rendered his Gospel, " the power of God and the
wisdom of God."

And so varied were the circumstances into which
he was thrown, and the classes of men with whom

VI PREFACE.

he mingled, that something may be found in his his-
tory suited to every condition of mind, and every
want of the human heart. Would the Christian
advance in the divine life, — be fortified against the
trials incident to his earthly career, and receive the
highest stimulus to press forward for the prizes of
immortality, let him study the character, and follow
in the footsteps of his Redeemer. Rather than
depend upon the teachings of men and systems
of theology, let him go directly to the fountainhead
of all truth. For one hour of communion with
Christ, will aftbrd him clearer views of duty, richer
stores of knowledge, and a higher spiritual enjoy-
ment, than whole days spent with the wisest of
human authors. The electric influence thus ob-
tained, will quicken his whole being ; and the pulsa-
tions of his spiritual life will throb in sympathy with
that great heart which is the vital power of religion,
and the central force of the moral universe.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

I. The Forerunxer 1

II. Song of the Axgels 16

III. Visit of the Wise Mex 27

IV. Temptation ix the "Wilderness ... .41
V. His Mighty Deeds 54

VI. PURIFICATIOX OF THE TeMPLE .... 65

VII. IXTERYIEW WITH NiCODEMUS .... 77

VIII. The Samaritax Wo3Iax 91

IX. Preaciiixg upox the Mount .... 104

X. Christ walkixg on the Sea . . . .117

XI. The Transfiguration 131

XII. Christ receivixg Little Childrex . . . 144

XIII. IXTERVIEW WITH THE RiCII YOUNG MaN . . 156

XIV. The Raising of Lazarus 170

XV. The Triumphal Entry 182

XVI. "Weeping over Jerusalem 196

rnvTENTS.

XVII 1)1.-. Kii-TioN ..1 Tin: Last Judgment

XVI II li ir.uKATioN or thk Tassoveu .

XIX. A<.oNV IN Geth^lmane

XX. Ti!KA« iii:i:v of Jri»AS

XXI. Tm: Tiuai. and Condemxation

XXII. Tm; Cklcifixion . . • •

XXIII. Resurkection of the 'Mkssixu.

XXIV TiiL "Walk to Emmaus .

XXV. TnL Ascension

209
222
234

248
261
276
292
305
317

LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

I.

THE FOREKUNNER.

"I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE "WILDERNESS, MAKE
STRAIGHT THE WAT OF THE LORD, AS SAID THE PROPHET"

ESAiAS." — St. John i. 23.

Around none of the sacred characters brought to-
view in the Scriptures, does there gather a more
thrilling and melancholy interest, than around John
the Baptist. Whether we regard his life of self-
denial and toil, or the importance and sublimity of
his mission, or his tragical death, we find enough ta
excite the deepest sympathy and admiration. As a
man, he possessed the most eminent virtues, energy,,
modesty, an entire consecration to his work. As the
forerunner of the Messiah, he stood as the connecting
b'nk bet\veen the Mosaic and the Christian dispensa-
tion, fulfilling the utterances of ancient prophets,
and preparing the way for the advent of the Son of
God. As a martyr, his name comes down to us
associated with the noblest moral principle, and
1

2 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

highest Christian heroism. The Great Teacher him-
self, who knew the hearts of all men, bore testimony
to his exalted character and illustrious position :
" Verily I say unto you, among them that are born
of women, there hath not risen a greater than John
the Baptist;'

Throughout Judea there was a general expectation
that a harbinger would announce the coming of
Christ, and prepare the minds of the people for his
reception. The propet Isaiah, in those glowing vis-
ions which he had of the Messiah's reign, beheld the
illustrious forerunner, and comforts Jerusalem with
the announcement, " The voice of him that crieth in
the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
INIalachi, the last of the prophets, says, speaking in
the name of the Lord, " Behold I will send my mes-
senger, and he shall prepare the way before me." It
being customary among the oriental nations for a
herald to go before a distinguished prince or hero,
and make suitable preparations for his reception, it
was proper that the approach of the King of kings
and Lord of lords, should be formally announced,
and that the hearts of men should be made ready
for his reception. INIany supposed that this duty
would be performed by the prophet Elijah, in accord-
ance with the declaration of Malachi, " Behold, I
will send you Elijali the prophet before the coming
of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." This
expectation was increased by the fact that Elijali had
not sufl^'red death, Init was translated in a chariot to
the heavenly regions. It was generally believed that

THE FORERUNNER. 3

in an invisible form he hovered over the Jewish na-
tion to protect it from danger, and the people were
looking for his bodily appearance upon the earth.

But the true intent of the prophecy of Malachi, is
given in the announcement which the angel made to
Zacharias respecting his son. " He shall be great in
the sight of the Lord, and shall be filled with the
Holy Ghost. Many of the children of Israel shall
he turn to the Lord. And he shall go before him in
the spirit and poiver of Elias, to turn the hearts of
the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the
wisdom of the just ; to make ready a people pre-
pared for the Lord." In this sense Christ recognized
the prophet Elijah in John the Baptist, and assured
his disciples that Elias had come.

In considering the character and mission of the
forerunner of Jesus, our attention is first directed to
the extraordinary circumstances connected with his
birth. While his father, the aged priest Zacharias,
was ministering at the altar in the temple, and the
people without were engaged in prayer, suddenly
there appeared before him an angel, who announced
that he should have a son who should be great in
the sight of the Lord, filled with the Holy Ghost,
and prepare the way for the Messiah. The priest,
though a man eminent for his piety and devotion,
was greatly terrified, and could scarcely credit what
he saw and heard. The angel perceiving his fear
and unbelief, said to him, " I am Gabriel that stand
in the presence of God : and am sent to speak unto
thee, and to show thee these glad tidings." The
birth of the forerunner of Jesus was an event of so

4 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

much importance, that a being who dwelt near to
the throne of the Eternal, and stood in the presence
of the Majesty of Heaven, was commissioned to
announce the glad tidings. We cannot wonder that
the aged servant of the Lord Avas startled by the
presence and voice of such a visitant. He might, at
first, have supposed that he had come to bring alarm-
ing intelligence to the Jewish nation ; to announce
some di-eadful calamity that would befall the people.
For although in the early history of the Jews, angels
not unfrequently appeared in visible form, yet for a
long time no such spectacle had been witnessed,
even by the highest and most favored officers in the
church. The mere appearance, therefore, of an an-
gelic form after so long a period, was calculated to
excite the most intense anxiety. It was usual, while
the priest was offering incense in the holy place, for
the people in the outer courts of the temple, to spend
the season in silent prayer, and to aw^ait with much
interest the return of the priest. If he was detained
longer than they expected, they became alarmed lest
some divine judgment might be in store for them.
Li this instance the stay of Zacharias being pro-
tracted beyond the usual time, a profound anxiety
pervaded the whole multitude. As soon as he ap-
peared they perceived, by the expression of his coun-
tenance, and by his inability to speak, that some-
thing remarkable had happened. The awe and
reverence with whicii ihc worship of the temple was
regarded, and the deep mysteries connected with the
holy places into which only the priests were permit-
ted to enter, added to the excitement; and the fact

THE FORERUNNER. 5

that he could not give utterance to his thoughts, nor
describe what he had seen, greatly increased the
curiosity and apprehensions of the people. They
must have inferred from these circumstances, that
the vision was connected with some matter of great
national interest.

The promise which the angel made to the venera-
ble and devoted priest having been fulfilled, his
power of speech was restored, and he praised God,
saying, " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he
hath visited and redeemed his people."

Of the early history of John the Baptist, we know
but little. St. Luke informs us that " the child grew
and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts
till the day of his showing unto Israel." From this
language we need not infer that his entire childhood
and youth were spent in the desert, for this would
have been both unnatural and unnecessary. The
most probable supposition is, that for several years
he was under the nurture and tuition of his parents,
of whom it is recorded, " they were both righteous be-
fore God, walking in all the commandments and ordi-
nances of the Lord blameless." As the son of a priest
he belonged to a class distinguished in that country
for their knowledge and intellectual culture, and he
would naturally receive the highest educational ad-
vantages. Especially would he be thoroughly trained
in the doctrines of theology and Biblical literature.
His pious father knowing the honorable and exalted
station which his son would occupy, doubtless spared
no pains to qualify him for his sublime mission. But
as his parents were aged at the time of his birth, it
1*

6 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

is quite probable that they may have died before he
reached the age of thirty years, the period when he
formally received his commission from Heaven. The
ties of home and kindred being thus sundered, and
finding little congenial to his taste and feelings in
the society around him, he may at that time have
retired to the solitudes of the desert. But it is not
material to fix upon the precise day or year, when he
went forth into the wilderness to complete his prepa-
ration for the great work before him. It is enough
for us to know, that amid the mountains and rugged
•cliffs and dark forests toward the Dead Sea, this
wonderful man poured out his soul before God in
earnest supplication, meditated upon the infinite per-
fections of the Deity, and upon the sublime mission
of Him, for whose advent he was to prepare the
nations. Amid these vast solitudes, the silence of
which was only broken by the sighing of the winds,
•or the rush of the mountain streams, we find the
forerunner cultivating that purity of character, sim-
plicity of manners, and energy of purpose, which
shone so conspicuously in his public ministry. The
very mountains around him seem to impart their
grandeur to his soul. The wild winds as they sweep,
at night, by his cavern home, seem to tell him of the
wilder passions of men, to contend with which, he
must gird himself. The flowers that line his path-
way are the smiles of a Father, who will watch over
him, and care more for him than for the lilies of the
valley. The stars at night are so many bright mes-
sengers, that come forth to bid him reverence and
worship the infinite Creator.

THE FORERUNXER. 7

For his food he is content to receive the spontane-
ous productions of the desert, "locusts and wild
honey," which were used by the poorest classes in
that region of country. For clothing, instead of the
soft raiment of kings, he wore a robe, such as the
ancient prophets and poor people were accustomed
to wear, made of camel's hair, or of hair and wool
mixed, and bound around by a broad leather ghdle.
Such dresses, we are told, may be every day seen in
the S\TO- Arabian countries, and somewhat similar
ones are used in the interior nations of South Africa.

We need not suppose that this instance of retire-
ment from the world was an isolated one. Josephus
informs us that many pious Jews, disheartened in view
of the corruption of the people, withdrew to desert
places, and devoted themselves to acts of worship,
and the religious instruction of any who might resort
to them. And in Scripture history, John could trace
a long line of illustrious predecessors, whom God
had prepared in the wilderness, for important and
glorious achievements. Abraham, in whose seed
all the nations of the earth were to be blessed, was
commanded to leave his home and go forth as a pil-
grim to a strange land. In his journeyings, he ac-
quired that moral discipline and strong faith in God,
which render his name so illustrious. IMoses, after
having enjoyed the high advantages and honors of
Pharaoh's court, became an exile in the land of
Midian, and followed the humble occupation of a
shepherd. Far from the attractions and splendors of
a royal family, he spent years in the lonely wilder-
ness, in self-discipline, communion with God, and

8 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

preparation for the sublime work that was before
him. Nor is there a more tlirilling history than that
of the wanderings of the ancient church under his
leadership, for forty years in the wilderness. We al-
most behold the vast procession moving forward,
guided by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by
night ; preserving the ark of the covenant, protected
by a divine hand from surrounding idolatry, and
educated by the most wonderful displays of omnipo-
tent power ever made to man.

The ancient prophets, too, were familiar with cav-
erns and with the wilds of the desert. Driven, as
they often were from the presence of kings, they fled to
the mountains, God's great temples, where they bowed
in worship, and gathered new strength to assail the
prevailing systems of iniquity. Elijah found his
home in the desert. The rocks, trees, flowers, and
birds, were his companions. He loved to gaze upon
the sublime and beautiful scenery that bore the im-
press of his Father's skill and goodness ; loved to
listen to the music of gushing fountains and mur-
muring brooks ; loved to feel that inspiration of nature
that lifted his soul to nature's God.

The time having arrived for John to enter upon
his public ministry, he leaves the solitudes of the
(h'scrt and draws near to the villages and cities of
.Tudca. His whole appearance is calculated to make
a deep impression upon the popular mind. His
habits of life ; the themes upon which he has long
meditated ; his frequent communions with the Deity,
all qualified him to be an earnest and successful Re-
former. He comes forth full of reverence for the

THE FORERUNNER. 9

ancient faith, and full of indignation at the hypocrisy
and iniquities of the people. He comes imbued
with the spirit of the prophets, and fired with a noble
enthusiasm to follow in their footsteps, and fulfil his
great mission.

The state of the Jewish nation at this period has
been often described by writers upon Biblical history.
In addition to the corruption of the priesthood, and
the formalism into which the true worship of Je-
hovah had degenerated, the influence of the Roman
government was most disastrous upon all the inter-
ests of the nation. The marks of the long con-
tinued cruelty and despotism of Pontius Pilate were
everywhere discernible. The spirit of the Jews was
broken, their pride humbled, and their religion treated
with contempt. The rites and forms of worship
were only tolerated. The Sanhedrim was permitted
to retain but little more than the show of authority.
The oflice of the high-priest was at the disposal of
the Roman governor, and the most sacred usages of
the church were subject to Pagan interference. Dif-
ferent sects were embittered against each other, and
every thing was done to fan the flame of jealousy
and animosity. Even the idolatrous standards of
the Roman empire were unfurled within the walls of
Jerusalem, and the presence of foreign soldiers and
tax-gatherers constantly reminded the people of their
degradation. Exasperated by their oppressors, and
swayed by so many confliciing influences, they were
ready to embark in the most treasonable plots or be
swept along by the wildest forms of fanaticism.
Some clung to the hope that a deliverer would ere-

10 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

long appear, while others in de^^pair heaped exe-
crations upon tlie tyrants who enshivcd them.

In the midst of this storm of fierce passions and
fiery excitements, the herald of the Messiah appears.
His majestic form is seen moving along the banks of
the sacred Jordan. The tidings of his approach
fly quickly through the land, and multitudes of all
classes and sects flock to the river to listen to his
message. A strong interest is at once awakened.
Curiosity is aroused, and the hearts of the vast as-
sembly are thrilled by the stimng words that fall
from the lips of the great Reformer. He stands
before them fresh from his school of discipline ; drip-
ping with the dews of the wilderness ; his garment a
type of his rugged and stern nature, his countenance
beaming with devotion ; his eye kindled by the fire
of an intense enthusiasm, and his lips bearing the
stamp of a resolution that overawes the multitude.
In a voice that seems to come from the depths of
eternity, he proclaims that the " kingdom of Heaven
is at hand."

Among the characteristics of this great Reformer,
we are struck, in the first place, ^vith his boldness and
energy. He throws himself at once into the midst
of the people, and assails, with an unsparing hand,
the system of iniquity around him. He rebukes,
exhorts, warns the multitude who flock around him,
with a fearlessness even greater than tliat displayed
by the prophet Elijah. ( )pposition, instead of prompt-
ing him to flee to tiu^ desert, as in the case of that
ancient prophet, only urges him forward. Seeing
many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his

THE FORERUNNER. 11

baptism, instead of feeling honored by their presence,
and adapting his instructions to their position and
prejudices, he opens upon them with this salutation:
" Oh generation of vipers, who hath warned you to
flee from the wrath to come ? " He does not stop to
weigh his words, or soften down his epithets, or
inquire what effect his utterances will have upon his
popularity. Knowing the deep hypocrisy and pre-
tended sanctity of these Pharisees, — perceiving that
they were approaching him with no good intentions,
or real desires to know the truth, — conscious that
their formalism must be broken into, and their cor-
rupt systems demolished, to prepare the way for the
coming of the Lord, he denounced them in terms
such as the exigencies of the case demanded. He
intended that they should feel the force of his words,
and be made to realize their true position before God
and their fellow men. He calls upon them to bring
forth fruits meet for repentance. They pretended to
repent; but he wishes a genuine work wrought in
those who are to become his disciples. He wishes to
have sins not only confessed, but forsaken. They
prided themselves upon being the chosen people of
God, and deemed their Abrahamic descent as the
essential requisite to salvation. But the Reformer
tells them that God is able from the very stones in
the streets to raise up children unto Abraham. If
they disgrace by their lives their illustrious ancestor,
the kingdom of God will be set up in other hearts,
and strangers will come in and reap the benefits that
they reject.

To place the matter in the clearest and most fore-

12 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH.

ible light before his hearers, John adds : " And now
the axe is kiid unto the root of the trees; therefore
every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
down and cast into the fire." The time has come
for a thorough and radical work to be wrought in the
hearts of men. The axe is to be applied not to the
branches of the tree, nor to the trunk, but to the very
roots. The nation has been long enough incumbered
with fruitless, rotten trees. The work of pruning and
watering has been carried far enough. The time has
come for the axe and the fire to do their work.

This inflexible energy of the forerunner was re-
ferred to by the Saviour in his address to the multi*
tude concerning John. " What went ye out into the
wildtn-ness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
But what went ye out to see ? A man clothed in
soft raiment ? Behold, they that wear soft clothing
are in king's houses." No pliant, feeble reed, shaken
with every breath, did they go out to see, — no luxu-
rious and effeminate parasite, but an earnest, firm,
unwavering preacher of God's truth, — a Reformer,
whose will was of iron, whose purposes were fixed,
whose courage was invincible. He was not indeed
destitute of prudence, nor of the spirit of courtesy and
kindness. Pie was neither rash, nor ovcr])earing, nor
fanatical. To the people who came to him for
instruction lie was mild and conciliatory. But forms
of iniquity that needed smiting, he did not hesitate
to smite. Hypocrites he called by their right names.
He did not allow dignity to shield corruptions, nor a
solenm profession to divert his attention from a prof-
ligate life. He did not allow his conservatism to

THE FORERUNNER. 13

freeze up his zeal, nor an excessive prudence to extin-
guish the fires that the Almighty had kindled in his
soul.

Another prominent characteristic of John the Bap-
tist was his humility. Although he was related to
Christ both officially and by the ties of kindred, yet
he arrogated nothing to himself When the Jews
sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him,
Who art thou ? he confessed, that he was not Christ,
neither Elias, nor one of the old prophets. " Then
said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may
give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest
thou of thyself?" " He said, I am the voice of one
crying in the wilderness." " I am simply a voice —
a sound that will be soon borne away upon the pass-
ing breeze." The messengers and those who sent
them were doubtless ready to acknowledge him in
any capacity. But he claims nothing, except to be
heard as a preacher of repentance, and as the herald
of one who is mightier than himself, whose shoes
even, he was not worthy to bear. He was careful, too,
that no false impressions should be. made by his ad-
ministering the rite of baptism. He declared, 1
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ; but
He that cometh after me shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost and with fire. This baptism in the waters
of Jordan was simply a type of that spiritual bap-
tism which would be administered by the Messiah, —
of that Divine transformation that would purify the
soul, elevate the affections, and fit one for the duties
and joys of an immortal state.

Soon after, seeing Jesus coming towards him, he

14 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

took occasion to turn away the attention of the miil-
titndo from himself and direct it towards the Messiah.
'•■ Behold/ he said, " the Lamb of God which taketh
away the sin of the world. Behold the great sacri-
fice which is to be ofl'ered up for the redemption of
mankind. Listen to his teachings. Follow his
guidance. Fasten your affections upon him. The
Lamb of God, — pure, spotless, innocent, — pro-
vided by infinite love, to save a perishing world !
Behold him towards whom, one day, all eyes will be
turiKvl, and the affections of all hearts flow ! Be-
hold him who will be exalted far above all princi-
palities and powers, and whose praises tens of thou-
sands will sing ! "

At another time, when reference was made to
Christ's growing fame and to the multitudes that
flocked to him, John, in the spirit of the most pro-
found humility, said, " He must increase, but I must
decrease." Although this herald was more than a
prophet ; although he held a higher position than
that occu]iied by Abraham, or Moses, or David, or
Elijah ; although he had acquired great influence
with the people and was rapidly gathering followers,
and was thus realizing expectations which for years
he had entertained, yet he is willing that his personal
popularity should decline, that his name even should
be fori^otten if the name of Jesus is but remembered;
willing that the light of the morning star should
fade from the heavens, while the Sun of Righteous-
ness is risiiiii^ upon the world.

AVonderfnl man I " Mon' than a pro])het, indeed! "
Full of zeal, courage, energy, and fire, in the prime

THE FORERUNNER. 15

and vigor of life, with success attending his efforts,
and yet willing to step aside just as soon as the
work of preparation is accomplished, willing that the
current of his influence should flow into the rising
tide of the Messiah's fame, and help to swell the
mighty stream of his power ; this is humility that is
worthy of the name! We had rather call it glory.
We had rather call it the highest heroism to which
human nature can attain.

II.

SONG OF THE ANGELS.

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of

THE heavenly HOST, PRAISING GOD, AND SAYING, GLORY TO
GOD IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD-WILL TO-
WARD MEN." — Luke ii. 13, 14.

"Arc there no clarions upon earth,
To tell mankind their monai'cli's birth ?
Are there no banners to unfold,
Heavy with purple and with gold ?
Arc there no flowers to strew the ground,
Nor arches with the palm-branch bound ?
Nor fires to kindle on the hill ?
No ! man is mute — the world is still,
111 would all earthly pomp agree
With this hour's mild solemnity;
The tidings which that infant brings,
Arc not for conquerors, nor for kings ;
But to the contrite and the meek.
The simple, sorrowful, and weak ;
Or those who, with a hope sublime,
Are waiting for the Lord's good time.
Only frjr those the angels sing,
'All glory to our new-born King,
And peace and good-will unto men ;
Ilosanna to our God ! Amen.' "

Miss Landon.

There is somctliiiig significant and touching in
the fact, that the birth of the Great Shepherd should

SONG OF THE AXGELS. 17

first be announced to shepherds who were watching
their flocks by night. We may suppose that a pe-
culiar sympathy existed between the Saviour and
those who were engaged in this humble though hon-
orable employment. The care which they exercised
over their flocks ; their affection for the sheep ; their
readiness to protect the fold by day and night against
enemies, were all emblematic of the office and duties
of the Good Shepherd, who would give his life for
his people.

Besides, we must believe that the employment of
these pious men peculiarly fitted them to receive,
with joy and faith, the good tidings which on that
memorable night were communicated to them. The
solitudes in which they dwelt, far from the noise and
distracting influences of the world, were eminently
favorable to frequent seasons of meditation and ear-
nest prayer. They were in constant communion with
the beauties and sublimities of nature, which lifted
their thoughts and affections to the Supreme Archi-
tect. In the variegated scenery and abundant fruits
of the earth, they recognized the wisdom and good-
ness of an infinite Benefactor. In the starry heavens
they read the glory of the Creator, and they were
impressed with his majesty and power.

Participating as they did in the general expectation
of a coming Messiah, it is probable that they often
gazed at night upon the skies with the hope of be-
holding some indications of the approach of the
Saviour to the earth. Their ideas of his character
and mission may have been purer and loftier than
those which were generally entertained by the Jews.
2*

18 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

It is clear that there were peculiar and important
reasons in the divine mind, for selecting from the
whole human family this small company of humble
men, and making to them such a wonderful com-
munication.

According to the narrative given by St. Luke, the
shepherds were startled by an intense and super-
natural brightness, which suddenly burst upon them.

On looking up they beheld a form unlike any that
they had been familiar with on earth, — a form of
surpassing beauty, majesty, and glory. Terrified at
the sight, they knew not what to do ; nor could they
imagine the import of so unusual and dazzling a
spectacle. Whether it foreboded mercies or judg-
ments, they could not determine. But in a moment,
a voice proceeds from the angelic form, saying, in
mild and heavenly accents, " Fear not : for behold, I
bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to
all people ; for unto you is born this day, in the city of
David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Of all
the announcements ever made to mortal ears by man
or angel, this was the most grand and touching. The
force of language is exhausted to express the nature
of the tidings which the glorious being has come
from heaven to communicate. He brings good
tidings of great joy to all people ; to all who have
sensibilities to be touched by a display of infinite
love ; to all who have faith in a coming Messiah,
and whose hearts are prej)ared to receive the infant
Jesus. And to confirm the truth of the amiounce-
ment, the angel adds, " This shall be a sign unto
you : ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-

SONG OF THE ANGELS. 19

clothes, lying in a manger." The shepherds need
not seek him in the palaces of princes, nor in the
mansions of the rich. They need not expect to find
him WTapped in costly robes and lying upon a golden
couch. But the infant form will be found simply
wrapped in swaddling-clothes and reposing in a
manger ; circumstances significant of the poverty and
humility of his future career, and of the character of
his mission. For to the poor especially his gospel is
to be preached, and at the outset he selects a po-
sition which renders him most accessible to the
masses of the people. The shepherds would scarcely
feel at liberty to enter the courts of royalty or the
halls of the great, to gaze upon the infant form of
the King of kings. . But the humblest and poorest
can pass the threshold of a stable and gather around
a manger. No one would regard himself as an in-
truder on entering such a place. And in all coming
time, the penitent who might fear that his lowly birth
would forbid him access to the Lord of glory, would
have his fears quickly dissipated by the remembrance
of the Saviour's birthplace, and of the fact that
during his life he had not where to lay his head.

But scarcely had the sign been received, when
there broke from the skies a splendid vision and a
full chorus, that filled the shepherds with wonder
and delight. " Suddenly there was with the angel a
multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and
saying. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good-will toward men."

A more beautiful, appropriate, and comprehensive
anthem than this cannot be conceived. In the few-

20 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

est possible words we find expressed the honor due
to the liighest authority in the universe; the loyalty
of the angelie hosts; and the profound interest that
is felt above in the welfare of mankind. It is fit that
the first and warmest aserii)tions of praise be given
to God, the fountain of all blessings, and the author
of this divine and glorious scheme of redemption.
And had mankind realized the true and full import
of this anthem, they would have echoed back its
strains, and from every hill-top and valley and plain,
there w^ould have gone up one universal shout of
praise. The very rocks and hills would have broken
forth into singing, and all the trees of the field would
have clapped their hands. But the mass of mankind
are too deeply immersed in the cares, business, and
frivolities of life, to heed these indications of the
Messiah's advent. It is left for the angelic hosts to
celebrate this event. Their holiness, intelligence,
appreciation of the love of God and the w^orth of
the human soul, qualify them to shout with the
warmest enthusiasm, " Glory to God in the highest.''
They feel that the loftiest praises are due to Jehovah
for his condescension in giving his only and well be-
loved Son to die for this sinful race. The mysteries
of the atonement they desire to look into, but they
cannot explore the dej)ths of the mighty scheme.
Yet they see and comprehend enough to convince
them, that of all the displays of divine love which
they have ever witnessed, this is llie greatest; of all
the manifestations of the divine glory, this is the
brightest ; of all the themes of stirring song and
rapturous praise, this is the mightiest and most en-

SONG OF THE ANGELS. 21

during. They see in this birth, the germ of a vast
movement that will embrace the world as its field,
and require ages for its development.

They perceive, too, the bearings of this scheme
upon the divine administration, in its development
of the great principle that the Sovereign of the uni-
verse can be just, and yet the justifier of them that
believe. Heretofore the penalty of a violated law
had cast its dark and awful shadow over the human
race. But now the horizon is skirted with the light
of mercy. The Sun of Righteousness is rising upon
the world with healing in his beams. The dignity
and authority of the divine administration can be
sustained, and at the same time there is pardon for
the penitent, and favor for the believing. To see
thus a way of escape provided, while every principle
of holiness and justice is maintained, — to see divine
wisdom and love defeating the designs of the great
adversary, and arresting the fearful consequences of
sin, and throwing open the gates of heaven to the
subjects of redeeming grace, excites the warmest ad-
miration of the celestial intelligences. They shout
" Glory to God," knowing that such a scheme is
deserving of the highest praises, and that it will
yield to the Deity through eternity, a revenue of the
highest honors.

In this wonderful song we also hear the words,,
^^ peace on earthP The angels knew that they were
celebrating the advent of the Prince of Peace, — of
one who would hush the voice of human strife, quell
the angry passions of men, and teach the nations
to beat their swords into ploughshares, and their

22 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

spears into pruning-hooks, and learn war no more.
They knew the character of the Messiah, his mild
and gentle spirit, the depth of his love, the extent of
his compassion, for they had through long ages ex-
perienced his kindness, and witnessed the displays
of his divine and glorious attributes. They were
convinced that his simple presence on the earth
would shed abroad a peaceful and holy influence ;
that the sweet accents of his voice would fall like
music upon the perverse nature of man, and that the
power of his example would calm the troubled wa-
ters of hatred and contention.

Could we have mingled with these pious shep-
herds, and have heard from the skies those precious
words, " peace on earth," with what joy should we
have welcomed them to our hearts ? Peace to the
troubled conscience — peace to the oppressed and
sorrowing spirit — peace such as the world can nei-
ther give nor take away I But though this privilege
was not granted to us, yet we find consolation in the
assurance, that

" There is an hour of peaceful rest,

To mouniing •wanderers given ;
There is a tear for souls distressed,
A balm for every wounded breast —

'Tis found alone — in heaven.

" There is a home for weary souls.

By sin and sorrow riven :
Wlicn tossed of life's tempestuous shoals,
"Where storms arise and ocean rolls.

And all is drear — but heaven."

It is worthy of remark, that at the time this an-

SOXG OF THE AXGELS. 23

gelic song was heard, peace reigned throughout the
Roman empire. God had so ordered the events of
his providence as to secure a cessation of hostilities
between different nations, and thus so far prepare the
way for the Messiah's advent. The temple of Janus
was shut, indicating the universal prevalence of
peace, an event which had occurred but twice before
during the seven centuries of the existence of the
Roman empire. When we consider the vast extent
of this empire, the various elements of which it was
composed, the warlike character of the people, and
the feelings with which they were regarded by for-
eign nations, it seems almost miraculous tliat peace
should prevail at that period. Hostilities are sus-
pended, as though to welcome the Prince of Peace.
The involuntary homage of millions is thus rendered
to the Messiah. The noise of battle is hushed, that
angelic songs may be heard. Peace reigns as a beau-
tiful symbol of the moral state of the world, when
the fruits of Christ's mission shall have been fully
experienced, and his blessed principles shall have tri-
umphed over every evil passion.

But there is another expression in this chorus, that
must have afforded the shepherds the most intense
delight. Mingling with the music, of the sweetness
of which we can form no conception, they hear the
words ^^ good-ivill toivard men^ Good- will from the
Father and from the Son and from the Holy Ghost,
towards even ungrateful and sinful man ! Good-
will in the hearts of angelic hosts ; of the myriads of
bright and holy beings that surround the eternal tlnonel
In this sentiment we have embodied the great prin-

24 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

ciplc that pervades the social and moral life of heaven;
and is the very essence of Deity. It is the principle
to which the nature of all sentient beings is adapted,
and conformity to which secures the highest possible
happiness. It does not reign upon this earth, because
its antagonist, selfishness, has the throne of human
hearts. But it is a source of infinite satisfaction to
know, that there is a world where benevolence does
reign triumphant, — where the highest happiness is
derived from promoting the happiness of others. And
this interest which angels feel in the welfare of the
human family, can flow from no other fountain than
that of a purely benevolent nature. It is because
they delight in the happiness of all sentient beings,
that they are so deeply interested in man. Even
human apostasy and degradation, — even the vices
of men that naturally repel all holy beings, do not
throw us beyond the pale of their sympathies. They
perceive in man, though he is in ruins, a value that
cannot be estimated ; capabilities for enjoyment
which cannot be measured ; and sources from which
may spring vast revenues of glory to the Deity.
Hence in all their communications with earth, they
manifest a kindness of feeling and depth of interest
which cannot be expressed. When our world first
floated in space, fresh and beautiful from the liands
of its Creator, '• the morning stars sang together, and
all the sons of God sliouted for joy." They rejoiced
in the new manifestation of the Divine goodness
and ])t)\\<r. And they liave ever been ready to min-
ister to tlie wants and alleviate the sorrows of the
human family. " Ai-e they not all ministering spirits,

SONG OF THE ANGELS. 25

sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of
salvation ? "

Had we organs of vision which would enable us to
behold these resplendent and holy beings, we should
see them at their several posts engaged in missions
of love. We should see one presiding over the affairs
of a nation — another protecting the interests and
promoting the spirituality of a church — another com-
forting the afflicted — another standing at the bedside
of the dying Christian, and ready to accompany his
spirit to the regions of glory. We should see a vast
multitude whose hearts beat in sympathy with every
human interest. We are indeed assured that " there
is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one
sinner that repenteth." The return of a single wan-
derer thrills their souls with delight. For they know
the worth of one immortal spirit. They know what
heights of honor and felicity it is capable of reaching,
and into what depths of wretchedness it is liable to
be plunged. And bending from the lofty battlements
of the eternal city, they watch with the deepest solici-
tude for any indications of penitence and faith among
the guilty children of men.

Such a manifestation of interest from such pure
and exalted intelligences ought to have an elevating
influence upon every human heart. It exalts us in
the scale of being to know that such an intense and
wide spread sympathy is felt for man in the far dis-
tant regions of the universe, — that the highest and
holiest intelligences bring the welcome tidings of
their good-will towards the human family.

The good shepherds having listened to the last
3

26 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

strains of this wonderful song, at once left their flocks,
and hasten to find the new-born infant. Following
the direction given to them by the angel, they went
to Betlileliem, " and found Mary and Joseph, and the
babe lying in a manger." Being forcibly struck with
the fulfilment of the amiouncement which they had
heard, they made known to all around them the facts
respecting the remarkable and splendid vision which
they had seen during the night.

And they " retm'ned glorifying and praising God."
Their faith in the Messiah was confirmed; their
hearts were filled with gratitude, and they were ready,
with the warmest enthusiasm, to join the angelic
hosts in the song " Glory to God in the highest ; on
earth peace, good-will toward men."

Ill

VISIT OF THE WISE MEN.

" Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusa-
lem, SATING, WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS ?
FOR WE HAVE SEEN HIS STAR IN THE EAST AND ARE COME TO

WORSHIP HIM." — St. Matthew ii. 1, 2.

" Far in the desert East it shone,
A g^iiding star, and only one ;
The other planets left the sky,
Trembling, as if rebuked on high.
The moon forsook its silvery height,
Abashed before that holier light ;
The storm clouds that on ether lay
Melted before its glorious ray ;
Till half the heaven shone pure and clear,
Like some diviner atmosphere
Than ours, wherc heavy vapors rise
From the vile earth to dim the skies ;
Meet herald of that promised day,
"When souls shall burst the bond of clay,
And, purified from earth stains, come,
Kadiant to its eternal home."

The birth of Jesus was an event which attracted
the angels of heaven and the wise men of the earth.
Holiness and wisdom both had their representatives
on this interesting occasion. Though the Saviour

28 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

was born in a mangrr, and under the most humble
circumstanees, — thougli his advent was greeted by-
no public demonstration of gratitude or honor, yet
there were not wanting indications of his royalty, and
the marks of reverence due to so illustrious a person-
age. A bright star or meteor pointed out the sacred
spot where he was born. A company of pilgrims,
distinguished for their piety and wisdom, come from
the far East and seek diligently for the young child.
They bring with them precious gifts to lay at the
feet of the infant Messiah, as the testimonials of their
affection and homage. Guided by the light of the
star, and aided by a Divine illumination from above,
they find the object of their search, and render to him
the worshi]) due to his character and mission. By
prostrating themselves before him, they recognize the
divinity of his nature, and the grandeur of the object
which has called him from heaven to earth. They rec-
ognize in that infant breast a power slumbering that
will one day be felt among the nations of the earth.
They recognize a great moral force that will change
the face of society, and elevate man from the regions
of darkness and degradation into those of light, truth,
and happiness. In connection with their worship
they ]iresent the rich products of their country, gold,
frankincense, and myrrh, — a very timely offering to
aid the parents of Jesus in making their flight into
Fii?y))t. Til is scene presents several interesting points
of inquiry and meditation.

In the first place we desire to know who these
wise men were, and from what country they came.
In the Greek language they are called liuyoi, and in

VISIT OF THE WISE MEI^". 29

the Latin mag-i, a title given to them on account of
their eminence in learning, and especially their
knowledge of nature, and of the movements of the
heavenly bodies. The name also was applied to

or

such as were skilled in political matters. " F
says an able wTiter, " the great counsellors of the
Persian kings were called magi, and Cicero affirms
that none were ever admitted to the Persian throne,
but such as had been thoroughly instructed and
trained up by these magi. The title was also some-
times used by those who practised wicked arts, but
in its proper and usual meaning, it designates those
philosophers who were skilled in natural, political, or
moral science."

Some writers suppose that they were kings from
some eastern nations, and that their mission was a
fulfilment of the prophecy. " The kings of Tarshish
and of the isles shall bring presents : the kings of
Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts." But there are no
substantial gi-ounds for this opinion ; for Herod did
not treat them as kings, but gave to them commands
to diligently search for the young child and bring
him word again, as though they were properly sub-
ject to his authority. Besides, had they been per-
sons of royal rank, the fact would doubtless have
been mentioned by the Evangelists. But they were
obviously Gentile philosophers, who, in addition to
their learning, enjoyed special Divine influences, and
were anxious to obtain an accurate knowledge of the
true God. Though they did not come under the
promises which had been made to Abraham and his
seed, yet it is reasonable to suppose that they had

30 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAK.

been expecting and waiting for a Messiah — a Mes-
siah who should break down the partition wall be-
tween Jews and Gentiles — who should extend to all
nations the blessings of his mission, and recognize as
his friends all who would believe on his name. That
they had faith in a coming Saviour, is evident from
their searching so diligently for the young child.
That they were under the divine protection and guid-
ance, is evident from the appearance of the beauti-
ful star that directed their footsteps. Their religious
faith was evinced by their readiness to fall down and
worship the Saviour. We may regard them as the
representation of that portion of the Gentile world
upon whom some rays of divine light had shone,
and who were anxious to receive a teacher sent from
God. There was a significancy in such a visit to
Christ, so early in his history. It indicated that the
reign of a formal system of religion, and one that
conferred special privileges upon a few classes, was
drawing to a close ; that a new and spiritual empire
was about to arise in the earth ; that mankind were
to be moved forward by the agency of a new and
mighty moral force, towards a high state of civiliza-
tion and religion.

But we are interested to know whence these sages
eame upon so remarkable a mission. As to the pre-
cise country from which they came, eminent divines
are not fully agreed, as the Evangelist simply men-
tions that they came from the East. Some are of
the opinion that they came from Persia, others that
they journeyed from Arabia, and others still, that
they came from Assyria. The arguments in favor

VISIT OF THE WISE MEN. 31

of the first opinion are, that this class of philoso-
phers abounded in Persia ; that the country was sit-
uated eastward to Judea, which corresponded with
the words of the Evangelist, and that the manner of
approaching Jesus with presents and such marks of
homage, was in accordance with the custom in Per-
sia, when persons appeared in the presence of kings.
The argument in favor of Arabia, is that gold,
frankincense, and myn'h, abound in that country.
There are also other circumstances upon which the
opinion with reference to this country, is based. If
the wise men came from Arabia, they must have en-
countered many hardships and dangers in their jour-
ney : for their course would lay through a wild and
parched desert, which was infested by bands of rob-
bers and murderers. But from whatever country
they originated, they manifested a degree of piety
and zeal that is worthy of our admiration. They
were bent upon finding Jesus, whom they already
hailed as born King of the Jews. They did not
come to inquire whether his birth had taken place,
for they had satisfactory knowledge upon that point.
They had seen " his star," and with their hearts full
of faith, they had come to worship. »

The connection of Herod with this scene is too
intimate to be passed unnoticed. This most wicked
of wicked men endeavored to turn this pious mission
into a means for effecting the destruction of the
infant Jesus. With a degree of hypocrisy and mal-
ice which only the vilest and most infamous of men
are capable of reaching, he pretended that he desired
to know where the young child was, that he might

32 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

also come and worship liim. Besides being like all
base usurpers and tyrants, full of suspicions and
jealousies, his anxiety was greatly increased by the
intelligence that had reached him respecting the
star, and by the rumors which w^ere abroad that
about that time a prince was to be born who would
rule over Israel. His character presents a striking
contrast to those wise and good men whom he
wished to employ as instruments for accomplishing
his cruel designs. Before the birth of Christ, he had
stained his administration with almost every imagin-
able crime. All who were suspected of having any
claims or desires for his crown, were basely assassi-
nated. Every principle of honor, right, and justice
was sacrificed. The most sacred and tender ties
were disregarded. Not content with murdering his
predecessor in the extremity of his old age, he carried
the sword into his own family, and put to death one
of his wives and his own children, and to carry his
remorseless cruelty to the higliest pitch, he issued an
edict requiring the indiscriminate slaughter of all
"the children in Bethlehem and in all the coasts
thereof," hoping thus to accomplish the murder of
the infant Jesus., His wickedness and villany were
so stupendous that neither the innocency of child-
hood, nor the reverence due to old age, nor the af-
fection of a wife, nor the obligations of the parental
relation, aftbrded any protection against him. He is
styled Herod the Great on account of the splendor of
the palaces which he built, and the magnificence of
his reign. But the greatness of his wickedness sur-
passed all other manifestations of greatness. The

VISIT OF THE WISE MEX. 33

dark, colossal monuments reared by his atrocious
cruelty, rose higher and stood out more conspicuous
than the temple and palaces that he erected.

Accustomed to be implicitly obeyed, when he
found that he was mocked or deluded by the wise
men, he was exceedingly enraged, and sent forth that
terrible command that caused in Rama, " lamentation
and weeping, and great mourning : Rachel weeping
for her children and would not be comforted because
they are not." Under the reign of such a prince
was the Saviour born, — a prince whose power was
based upon injustice, whose throne was covered with
blood, and whose administration was marked by
every form of cruelty. On the one hand was the
innocent babe of Bethlehem ; on the other, this
remorseless tyrant thirsting for his blood. In the
same country heaven and hell meet tlirough their
representatives. They meet as antagonistic forces,
destined to struggle one against the other. The
principles of the two worlds are strikingly set forth
in the two characters. One is all benevolence, and
the other is unmixed selfishness. One has a heart
full of tenderness and mercy, the other has the spirit
of a fiend. One is erelong to give his life for the
benefit of the human family, the other sacrifices
human life to attain his own base ends.

Why so infamous a king was permitted to live
and to rule over the Jews at so interesting a period
in their history, is a question which finite wisdom
cannot answer. Not until the great problem of
moral evil is solved, can this point be settled. Viewed
in the light of the world's uniform wickedness, it is

34 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

not SO wonderful that the benevolent career of the
Saviour should have commenced with a Herod, and
ended with a Judas. For had Christ appeared in any
age or nation, he would have encountered men of a
similar character and similar principles with these. If
he comes to oppose wickedness, to smite the gigantic
forms of iniquity that prevail, he must meet the rep-
resentatives of these forms and systems, from the day
of his birth to the day of his death. But if Christ
had bitter enemies, he also had sincere and warm
friends. If the cruel tyrant sought him in order to
take his life, the wise men from the East desired to
present to him gifts, and to render to him the homage
of grateful and believing hearts.

Let us next notice the impression made upon the
minds of the pious sages by their visit to the infant
Saviour. As they were guided by the star that led
them to the spot where the young child was, the
Evangelist tells us that "they rejoiced with exceeding
great joy." In the original Greek, the words express
a fulness and excess of joy which it is difficult to
translate in our language. The intensity of their joy
ful emotions indicated the earnestness of their desires
to see Jesus, and their strong faith in him They did
not come to show merely their outward respect at the
birth of so illustrious a personage, nor to render to
him a mere formal worship. Their feelings were
strongly enlisted in the object of their search. They
were men who were sincere and earnest inquirers
after the truth, — men of learning, of high intellectual
culture, — men who were familiar with the Jewish
Scriptures, and with tlie prophecies concerning a com-

VISIT OF THE WISE MEX. 35

ing Messiah. They rejoiced in the successful termi-
nation of their journey, and in the goodness of God
which permitted them to behold the long promised
Messiah. As the children of Israel were guided
in their night journeyings by a pillar of fire to the
promised land, so their footsteps had been guided by
the light of a beautiful star or meteor, to the birth-
place of the INIessiah. And like the devout Simeon
they might have said : " Lord, now let thy servants
depart in peace, for our eyes have seen thy salvation^
which thou hast prepared before the face of all
people : a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory
of thy people Israel." They rejoiced that their faith
was so much strengthened by what they saw. Prob-
ably they had before clung to their belief amid many
doubts and discouragements. In their own country^
where their religious opinions were known, they may
have encountered opposition or ridicule on account
of their peculiar views. Their journey to Bethlehem
under the guidance of a new star, may have been
regarded as a fanatical and visionary enterprise.
Although they were men of learning, rank, and
influence, and were admitted to the palaces of
kings, and consulted on all important occasions, yet
their eminent position may have exposed them to
great temptations, and strong resolution may have
been required on their part to maintain their belief.
But now they find their steadfastness and zeal abun-
dantly rewarded by the view which is granted to them
of the Messiah. They find that their confidence was
not misplaced, and they rejoice that their faith has
reached so triumphant an issue.

36 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

It was also a source of joy to them that a glorious
Prince of the Jews was born, one who would confer
great and lasting blessings upon the nations of the
earth. I low definite and clear were their ideas of the
nature of Christ's kingdom, and the character of his
reign, we have no means of determining. It is
hardly probable that God would have, in so remark-
able a manner, guided them to Bethlehem, simply
that they might pay a transient tribute of respect to
Jesus. They may have known that the object of
their worship had come to work out the redemption
of our race, — to give his life a ransom for many.
They may have recognized in him a divine Saviour,
and a ruler who would confer great spiritual as well
as temporal blessings. While standing in the house
by the side of Mary, and bending over the infant
form of Jesus, they may have recalled the prophetic
words of Isaiah, " For unto us a child is born, unto
us a son is given : and the government shall be upon
his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonder-
ful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the Prince of
Peace." And their conceptions of the splendor of
his reign, and the glories of his mission, may have
been a prominent source of their exceeding joy.
The divine being who had revealed to them the birth
of Christ, could easily have imparted to them clear
views of his career, and the blessed results of his
life and of his death. Especially they may have
seen that the Gentile world would share largely in
the beiK^fits of his advent, and hence they would
naturally be filled with joy. Nor is it um-easonable to
suppose that these sages, in their own country, pre-

VISIT OP THE WISE MEX. 37

pared the way for the triumph of divine truth. If
their faith was at first so strong as to lead them to
take a long jom*ney, and bring with them costly gifts
to present to the new-born king, how much must
both their faith and zeal have been quickened by
what they had seen and heard. They may have re-
turned to their own country as" missionaries of the
new religion, and subsequently have had their minds
more thoroughly enlightened in regard to " the truth
as it is in Jesus." Indeed, an early antiquity informs
us that messages or letters were afterwards sent to
Jesus from Abgarus, king of Edessa, in Arabia, con-
taining expressions of the highest respect for his
character and mission, — letters which may have
had their origin in the information at first communi-
cated by these sages.

We may also regard this visit of the wise men, as
a beautiful and striking emblem of that happy period
in the history of the church, when, in the words of
Isaiah, " the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and
kings to the brightness of thy rising;" when "the
abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee;"
when " all they from Sheba shall come, and bring gold
and incense, and shall show forth the praises of the
Lord." It was peculiarly fit that the future triumphs
of the Gospel among the Gentile nations, should
thus be represented in the early history of the Mes-
siah. For if Christ was to be despised and rejected
by the Jews, it was a consolation to his parents and
friends to receive some tokens of his success among
a portion, at least, of the human family. Thus while
we look upon Herod as a representative of the cru-
4

38 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

elty and h-eachcry that Christ would meet with at
the hands of his people, we delight to turn our eyes
towards these wise men, as the representatives of
those nations that would one day come to Jesus to
worship, and pour their gold and silver into the treas-
ury of the Lord. And what was shadowed forth
in this visit, we find has been fully realized. For the
light of Christ's holy mission soon poured over the
walls of Jerusalem, travelled beyond the confines of
Judea, and reached the millions that for long ages
had been sitting in darkness. The trumpet voice of
the prophet was heard, saying to them, "Arise, shine,
for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord has
risen upon thee." At this day wc have the spectacle
presented to us of Judea, once the holy land, lying
waste and barren, its cities demolished, or in the
hands of infidels, while over Gentile nations there
rise thousands of Christian churches, from which go
forth influences and agencies that are blessing the
world. On this continent, at that time an unknown
wilderness, tliere has in these modern days grown up
a Cliristian power, which we believe will not wane,
until the Gospel is preached to every creature. The
stone which the Jewish builders rejected, has become
the corner-stone of our modern Christendom. " This
is the Lord's doings: it is marvellous in our eyes.''

The manner in which 1he wise men were enabled
to render their visit a beautiful emblem of such glo-
rious results, and were saved from being even the
innocent instruments of executing the cruel purpose
of Ilerod, is worthy of a moment's notice. After
having worsliipped tlie new-born king and left their

VISIT OF THE WISE MEX. 39

treasm*es, we are told, that, " being warned of God in
a di-eam that they should not return to Herod, they
departed into their own country, another way." Plad
it not been for this divine communication, they might
have had the grievous reflection of having been the
indh'ect occasion of the death of the holy child. But
the same God in whom they put their trust when
they entered upon their journey, was with them in
every extremity. He dkected their steps, warned
them of danger, and kept them from being the in-
struments of the tyrant's cruelty. They returned to
their own countiy, carrying with them richer treas-
ures than those which they brought, and rejoicing
that by the aid of divine power, they had been saved
from the snare which was laid to entrap them.

This scene teaches us lessons of practical impor-
tance. All wise men in every age of the world will
seek Christ. They will seek not only the evidences
of his birth, but will examine his system of doctrines,
his scheme of redemption, his claims upon our hom-
age and worship. They w^ill follow the guidance of
the star of hope that appears in the moral firmament,
— a star that to the believing will increase in bright-
ness, and one day become a sun, filling the heavens
with its splendor and glory. They will bring gifts
worthy of the Saviour's acceptance, — the sacrifice
of a broken and contrite heart, their cordial love, and
the services of their lives. They w^ill experience the
joy which the sages felt. Every new interview with
the Saviour will increase their delight. They will
join the Psalmist in his prophetic and sublime words,
" He shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold

40 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

of Sheba : prayer also shall be made for him contin-
ually, and daily shall he be praised. His name shall
endure forever, and men shall be blessed in him : all
nations shall call him blessed."

IV.

TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS.

" Then •vtas jesus led of the spirit into the wildekxess to

BE TEMPTED OF THE DEVIL." — MatthcW iv. 1.

The period which elapsed between the childhood
of Jesus and his public ministry, was employed
by him in making preparation for his great work.
Uniting as he did a human with a divine nature, his
human nature was subject to those laws of culture
and discipline which belong to our race. We are
informed that in his youth he '• increased in wisdom,
and in favor with God and man." His natural fac-
ulties were developed and expanded as he advanced
in years, and were thus fitted to become the organs
of his divine nature. As the human body in its
growth and progress towards maturity, becomes a
vehicle through which the mind acts and expresses
its emotions and thoughts, so the human soul of
Christ, by development and culture, was prepared to
become the medium through which his divine nature
might express its thoughts and make its revelation
to the world.

Of the early history of Jesus we know but little.
A single incident is recorded which strikingly illns-
4*

42 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

trates his progress in knowledge, and his con-
sciousness of the divine nature within him. When
about twelve years of age, his parents, on making their
annual visit to Jerusalem, at the time of the Pass-
over, took him with them. On their return they
missed him, and after searching, he was found in the
temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, and dis-
cussing with them, much to their wonder and admi-
ration, questions of religious faith. Doubtless his
mind was greatly quickened by what he saw and
heard at Jerusalem and in the temple ; and probably
on this occasion, for the first time, the divine light
burst forth from his intellect, and the infinite treas-
ures of his wisdom were unfolded to human view.
The learned doctors were amazed at the penetration,
clearness, skill, and power of argument manifested
by a youth at so tender an age. But though sur-
prised, they were not aware that what they beheld
was the opening fountain of that mighty stream of
thought, which w^as destined to purify the spiritual
life of man, and flow on in its fertilizing course
through all coming ages.

The early preparation of Christ for his public min-
istry and achievements, included discipline as well
as culture ; and that kind of discipline which results
from conflicts with temptation. Whether it is an
indispensable condition of moral discipline and moral
reelitude, that evil or temptation, in some of their
forms, must be uK.'t and resisted, is a question which
we need not stop to discuss. It is sufficient to our
present purpose to know that Christ was tempted, and
ill this fact, we find the necessity of the temptation.

TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 43

From the narrative we learn that Jesus, being full
of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, where he
had received the solemn rite of baptism, and was
immediately led by the spirit into the wilderness, to
meet there the great tempter, and decide with him
the question of supremacy and victory. Whether
the account which the Evangelists have furnished is
to be taken literally in all its features, or has, in some
respects, a symbolical import, we are not prepared to
decide. The principles, however, involved in the
case, are the same, whether we regard it literally or
symbolically.

It appears from the account that there were three
distinct temptations, that appealed severally to Christ's
necessities ; to the feeling of presumption, and that
of ambition.

With the first he was assailed after having fasted
forty days and forty nights. Being filled with the
Holy Spirit, and in the retirement of the wilderness,
far from the distracting influences of the world, he
was so absorbed by his meditations upon the great-
ness and glories of the work that was before him, that
he was not conscious for a considerable period of the
lapse of time, or of his need of food. Instances of a
similar character have occurred in the history of per-
sons eminent for their intellectual vigor and glowing
piety. Moses, in the solitude of the mount, before
receiving the law from Jehovah, fasted forty days, to
prepare his mind for the stupendous scenes that were
to open before him. Elijah, the chief of the prophets,
fasted the same period ; — and now he who combined
in his own person, lawgiver, prophet, and redeemer,

44 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAIL

the author of a new covenant and founder of a new
dispensation, spends the same time in fasting, humili-
ation, and prayer. While in a state of exhaustion
from such long continued abstinence, the tempter ap-
proaclicd him in a visible form, as one who desired
to witness the evidences of his sincerity and divinity.
The skill and subtlety of Satan were manifested not
only in his selection of such a time in which to pre-
sent the temptation, but in assuming the character
of one who was an inquirer after truth. " If thou art
the Son of God," that extraordinary person who has
been long expected, then " command that these stones
be made bread," and thus at once satisfy your hun-
ger. But Jesus replied, " It is wi'itten, Man shall not
live by bread alone, but by every word that pro-
ceedeth out of the mouth of God." This quotation
is made from Deuteronomy viii. 8, wherein reference
is made to the manner in which God sustained the
Israelites in the wilderness. They were not supported
by the bread and flesh of the Egyptians, but by
manna sent directly from heaven ; and the idea which
Christ intends to convey is, that the same God can
sustain him in the wilderness without bread. Into
that wilderness he had been led by the Holy Spirit,
and he prefers to continue under his guidance and
care, rather than distrust Providence and perform a
miracle to satisfy his necessities. His supreme de-
sire was to know and to follow the divine will, and
he is confident that God will bring to him relief in
his own time and way. On other occasions we find
the same unwillingness, on tlie part of Christ, to per-
form miracles for liis own personal benefit. When he

TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 45

was betrayed, and was surrounded by the soldiers and
the mob who were anxious to seize him, he said:
" Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father-
and he shall presently give me more than twelve
legions of angels ? " And when he had been nailed
to the cross, the priests and scribes, as they passed
by, said : " He saved others : himself he cannot save
If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down
from the cross, and we will believe him." But neither
to save himself from suffering, nor to gratify curiosity,
nor, above all, to meet the wishes of the arch de-
ceiver would Christ exert his miraculous power.

Besides, in every position that he occupied, he
stood as an example to mankind. It was a part of
his mission to be tempted " like as we are, yet with-
out sin." He came to struggle in a human form
against the great adversary, — to demonstrate that
evil could be resisted, and the devil triumphed over
in every conflict. It is true that he had not a sinful
nature for temptation to fasten itself upon ; but he
had human sensibilities and wants, and was so tried
as to be able to sympathize with man in all the
varied circumstances and sorrows of life. Had he, in
the wilderness, exerted his miraculous power, and
converted the stones at his feet into bread, and thus
satisfied the cravings of hunger ; or had he, when
arrested, summoned legions of angels to his aid, and
destroyed his enemies, important ends in his mission
would have remained unaccomplished. Man needed
a Saviour not only with divine powers, but with
human sympathies ; one who could feel in his own
soul the force of human weakness and dependence;.

46 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

OIK' wlio could combine the authority and omnipo-
tence and glory of a God, with the endurance, vir-
tues, and submission of a perfect man. How else
can Christ be our example ? How else can v\'e
follow in his footsteps ? In these various walks of
life, amid these temptations that beset us, in con-
flicts with the great adversary, how can we follow
one who has only a divine nature ; who by the breath
of his power can slay every foe, and thus has infinite
advantages over us in every respect. When Christ
wrought miracles, it was to attest his divinity and to
serve and benefit others. But when he suffered and
struggled with temptation, it was in his human capac-
ity. 8t. Peter says : " Christ suftered for us, leaving
for us an example that ye should follow his steps:
"Who knew no sin, neither was guile found in his
mouth ; who when he was reviled, reviled not again ;
when he suffered, threatened not; but committeth
himself to him that judgeth righteously."

In tlie reply which Christ made to the tempter
there is also a significancy that is worthy of our
remembrance : " Man shall not live by bread alone."
As though he had said, bread or food is not the only
nourislnnent that man needs. He has a higher life
than that of the body, to be fed. He has nobler aspi-
rations to meet, purer and loftier ends to attain, than
those which terminate in bodily comfort ! He has a
mind to discipline, powers to invigorate, virtues to
strengthen, a soul to be fitted for solemn duties and
weighty responsibilities. His proper food is the
Word of God — divine truth — that spiritual nour-
islimcnt that descends lilvC manna from heaven. To

TEMPTATION IX THE WILDERNESS. 47

this Christ referred when he said on one occasion
to his disciples : " I have meat to eat that ye know
not of." When conversing with the woman of Sama-
ria he said : " Whosoever shall drink of the water
that I shall give him shall never thu'st ; " but it shall
be " in him a well of water springing up unto everlast-
ing life." Should not all seek that water and food that
will give real life, everlasting life! In God's Holy
Word, we have spread out a celestial banc{uet, — food
for the soul, — food that will nourish us for immortality.
Being defeated in this attempt, the tempter very
artfully assails the Saviour at another point, and
endeavors to lead him into an act of presumption.
Taking him to Jerusalem, and placing him on a pin-
nacle of the temple, he said unto him : " If thou be
the Son of God, cast thyself down ; for it is written,
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and
in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest at any
time thou dash thy foot against a stone." The word
jnnnacle, though it agrees well with the original
Greek, yet is liable to convey to the English reader a
wrong idea. The roof of the temple was flat, and
was surrounded with a battlement, a part of which
was very high. Upon the edge probably of the loft-
iest portion, the Saviour stood when the tem]3ter as-
sailed him. In order to present the temptation in the
strongest possible manner, Satan assures him, on Scrip-
tural authority, that there will be perfect safety in his
making this demonstration of his miraculous power.
But Christ, seeing at once through the cunning of
the adversary, replied : It is also written, '• Thou shalt
not tempt the Lord thy God." He felt that it would

48 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

be gross presumption to attempt to call into requisi-
tion the omnipotence of Jehovah, when the danger
could be avoided by descending from the battlement
in the usual manner. His words teach us the great
lesson, that we are to expect divine aid only when we
make a diligent use of the means that are in our
power. K we are found out of the path of duty, or
rush presumptuously into peril, or unnecessarily ex-
pose om-selves to dangers, we need not expect that
omnipotence wdll interfere for our protection. God
has instituted certain laws for the government of our
health, safety, usefulness, advancement in piety ; and
if these laws are violated, we cannot expect the Deity,
to go out of his course, or throw the system upon
wiiich he governs the universe into disorder, merely
that we may be saved from the consequences of our
imprudence. Should he do this in one case, he must
in another, and in a third and fourth, and thus there
would soon be an end to all order and government.
K a person of a zealous temperament and of ardent
piety, in the prosecution of even a good work, ex-
poses his health or person to dangers, he has no right
to expect a special act of divine assistance to meet
an exigency that may be met by the employment of
the ordinary means of protection and safety. The
young disciple, whose ardor prompts him to make
the most thorough mental preparation for the gospel
ministry, or the devoted missionary who goes forth to
convert savage tribes to the ])rinciples of the gospel,
are not exempt from the great laws which the Deity
has instituted for our safety and government. It is
true, that if, in the clear path of duty, they meet with

TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 49

dangers, they have a right to ask and expect divine
assistance ; and, indeed, upon the ordinary means of
safety, we should at all times seek the divine bless-
ing. I fully believe in what are termed special prov-
idences in cases where human means fail. The
Israelites in the wilderness experienced them. The
Old Testament saints, Elijah, Sliadrach and his asso-
ciates, Daniel and others, were the favored subjects
of divine interposition and aid. And in our day^
there is too little exercise of strong confidence in
God, — too little boldness in his service based upon
reliance on his aid. But what the example of Christ
teaches under this temptation is, that we must asso-
ciate prudence and forethought with our piety ; that
we must not mistake presumption for zeal, nor rash-
ness for confidence in God. And we see the distinc-
tion for which we contend clearly illustrated in the
whole career of the Saviour. No one will charge
Christ with a want of zeal, boldness, and earnestness
in the prosecution of his great work. And yet his
whole life was marked with the greatest prudence
and discretion. He never voluntarily exposed himself
to peril, and always used the wisest means to escape
the stratagems of his enemies. And by pursuing
this course, he was enabled to accomplish the greatest
amount of usefulness, and to set before mankind a
perfect example. As the two gases that compose the
atmosphere are so united as to secure the greatest
amount of life and vigorous health, so in Christ these
two classes of virtues were so united as to secure
the most healthy action and the accomplishment of
the highest good.

5

50 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

JiCt tlie church of Christ unite these two elements
of strength, and she would not only grow with an
inward spirituality, but she would be mighty through
God to the pulling down of the strong-holds of sin.
^Ve should see her embattled hosts marching forth,
fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an
army with banners. The church would obtain con-
quests by an earnest, progressive spirit, and retain
the advantages gained by a sound and healthy con-
servatism. We should neither be afflicted by a dead
formalism on the one hand, nor by a rash, headstrong
zeal on the other. As in the physical universe the
t\vo forces, the centripetal and centrifugal, the one
drawing the planets toward the sun, and the other
drawing them from it, secure the regular and harmo-
nious action of these bodies around the central orb,
so these two moral forces in combination, would keep
the church at the same time in motion and in its
orbit around its central head, and luring every part
of it within the light and heat of the great Sun of
Righteousness.

Tlie tempter, failing in this eflbrt, makes a third
attempt, and endeavors to excite in the Saviour the
spirit of ambition. He takes him to an exceeding
high mountain, and shows to him the kingdoms of
the world, and says, "All this power will I give thee
and the glory of them, if thou wilt fall down and
worship me." If we take this language literally,
confining however the word '-world," to mean the
land of Judea and the surrounding nations, then the
mountain described by the Abbd Mariti could have
aflbrded the prospect referred to. Speaking of the

TEMPTATION IN THE WILDERNESS. 51

view he says, " Here we enjoyed the most beautiful
prospect imaginable. This part of the mountain
overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of
Gilead and of the Amorites, the plains of ]Moab and
Jericho, the river Jordan, and the whole extent of the
Dead Sea." If, however, we do not take the lan-
guage literally, then we may suppose that a vision
of the kingdoms of the world, and the splendor and
glory of them, passed before the mind of Christ. In
either case the object of the temptation is the same,
namely, to induce the Messiah to establish an out-
ward and worldly kingdom, which may be purchased
with all its splendors, by a single act of worship ren-
dered to Satan. This the tempter urges him to do,
rather than attempt to create a spiritual empire that
must necessarily be gradually developed, and must
advance in the hearts of men, without observation
or the aid of external attractions. Thus Satan en-
deavored to secularize Christ's views of dominion,
and induce him to employ his aid in establishing and
extending his sovereignty. But the Saviour, indig-
nant at so revolting a proposition, and filled with
abhorrence at the idea of worshipping a fallen and
created being, said. " Get thee behind me, or get thee
hence, Satan; for it is written, thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."
This temptation is so full of blasphemy, that the
Saviour repels it at once, and in the exercise of his
divine authority, commands Satan to leave him.
And by resisting it, Christ virtually protests against
every endeavor to associate his kingdom with the
governments of this world. He establishes the prin-

52 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

ciple that his empire is a spiritual one, — that it is to
be carried forward by divine influenee^^, and that any
mixture of worldly ambition, or evil agencies, is hos-
tile to its progress, and destructive of its pure and
noble ends. To tliis principle he clung with the
greatest tenacity through life, even up to the hour
when he returned, amid hosts of angels, to the celes-
tial city. And it was the more necessary that he
should frequently unfold and insist upon this idea,
because of the secular views which were entertained
by even his most sincere and devoted followers. It
was exceedingly dilTicult for them to rise to the con-
ception of a purely spiritual em])ire, — an empire
that should advance by the power of motives and
moral considerations, — that should obtain conquests
over the affections, and should be governed by the
great laws of benevolence which reign in the heav-
enly kingdom. Besides the natural tendency of the
mind to worldly and ambitious views, religion had
been so long associated with the arm of secular
power, that it was more difficult to build up this
new idea in the human heart. But it gradually, un-
der the teachings and example of Christ, worked
itself into being, and extended from heart to heart,
until it became a moral force, the influence of w^hich
was widely and deeply felt.

Another reason might be assigned for Christ's
resisting this temptation. These very kingdoms of
the world would one day come into his possession,
though in a far dilferent manner from that which
Satan propos(>s. For the Son of God had the prom-
ise that the heathen shoidd be given to him as an

TEMPTATION IX TUB WILDERNESS. 53

inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for
a possession. He would gain them by influences
brought to bear upon the individual subjects. He
would conquer them by the power of love. He would
purify, elevate, and sanctify them, and prepare them
to be united to his heavenly and everlasting empire.
He would also receive the glory of them ; a far
higher and richer glory than the tempter ever con-
ceived of; the glory of intellectual eminence, lofty
virtues, and a religions faith and devotion wrought
out by gospel truth.

The temptations passed through, and the tempted
conquered and driven from the field, the scene closes
by the sudden appearance of holy angels, who come
to minister to the Lord of glory. From their lofty
seats above they have watched the conflicts through
which the Saviour has passed. They have wit-
nessed his glorious victories, and now they hasten
with delight to his relief.

Thus disciplined and fortified, Christ is prepared
to enter upon his public ministry, and accomplish
those mighty deeds and glorious achievements that
will give him a name that is above every name, — a
name before which every knee shall bow, and the
authority of which every tongue shall acknowledge.

5*

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS.

"Go AND SHOW JOHN" THOSE THINGS -WHICH YE DO HEAR AND
see; the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, THE
LEPERS ARE CLEANSED, THE DEAF HEAR, AND THE DEAD ARE

RAISED UP." — St. Matthew xi. 4, 5.

Much has been written for and against the doctrine
of miracles, as taught in both the Old and New Tes-
taments. The enemies of Christianity have been par-
ticularly zealous in assailing this article of our faith,
and laboring to break down its testimony in favor of
the divine origin of the Gospel. Hume, the prince
of modern sceptics, taxed his ingenuity, wit, and all
the resources of his philosophy, to expel from the
court of human reason these witnesses. Others have
framed ingenious arguments against the doctrine, and
attempted to show that it could not be sustained
upon any reasonable grounds. But the doctrine has
passed through the severe ordeal of opposition un-
harmed. Indeed, it has gathered strength from every
conflict with its adversaries, and every new investiga-
tion has added weight to its autlioritv.

In considering this subject, our first remark is, that

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. OO

it is pcrfecthj reasonable that the mission of Christ
should be attested bij miracles. If a messenger is sent
to us from the eternal throne, or if a system of relig-
ion is exhibited to us with claims upon our belief
and adoption, it must necessarily be accompanied
with such evidences as will convince our judgment.
We need in such a case more than ordinary proof.
We need that kind and degree of testimony that the
importance of the case, and the greatness of the con-
sequences, demand. It is true that we can form some
opinion of the character of communications pur-
porting to come from God, from their inherent excel-
lence, and the reputation for honesty and integrity
that those enjoy who deliver the messages. But this
is not enough to satisfy the mind ; nor is it sufficient
to place the system upon a solid and permanent
basis. For wise men may utter sound maxims and
useful sentiments ; and persons of unimpeached in-
tegrity may advance theories which they believe are
founded in truth, and are essential to man's highest
welfare. In a matter that affects our spiritual inter-
ests, and the immortal destiny of the soul, we re-
quire the most clear and positive proof. If we are
told that God speaks, we ask for proof that the voice
which we hear is divine, before we can receive the
communications that are made. And in what way
can this proof be furnished, so readily and effectually,
as by displays of miraculous power ? Let the indi-
vidual or individuals claiming to give us divine
teachings, suspend the laws of nature, or perform
deeds that require the exercise of omnipotent power,
and they furnish us the highest possible ptoof of their

56 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

sincerity, and of the genniiionoss of their messages.
Now if it was necessary that mankind should re-
ceive a divine revehition, — if it was necessary that
a teacher sent from God should come to enlighten
the ignorant, reclaim the vicious, roll away the moral
darkness from the earth, and unfold a spiritual sys-
tem that would prepare the human family for the
solemnities and joys of an eternal state, then it was
equally necessary that these communications should
be attested by miracles. Indeed, the very idea of a
divine revelation, or mission, involves a display of
miraculous power. The two are inseparably con-
nected.

The inquiry next arises, Hoiv can the genuineness
and credibility of miracles be proved? I answer,
they can be proved like any other phenomena or
facts in history, by the testimony of competent
and honest witnesses. There are various kinds of
evidence employed in the different departments of
human knowledge. By the evidence of our senses
we judge of the existence of external objects, and
the reality of phenomena that pass under our ob-
servation. In the sciences, we reason upon mathe-
matical principles ; in morals we depend upon moral
proof, and for the truth of the facts of history we
rely upon human testimony. The authority of these
several kinds of evidence in their various depart-
ments must be admitted, or nothing can be proved.
If the force of human testimony be denied, then we
involve the whole past history of mankind in doubt
and uncertainty. We swing out upon an ocean of
scepticism, exposed to the wild tempests of unbelief,

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 57

with no light to guide us to the regions of truth.
But if the testimony of competent witnesses be ad-
mitted in regard to any facts or phenomena of his-
tory, then we claim the same with regard to the.
miracles of Christ. If it is capable of proof that
such a man as Socrates lived and uttered the wise
maxims that are ascribed to him, or that Ceesar
lived and led forth the Roman armies to conquest,
or that Luther wrought out the great Reformation, it
is equally capable of proof that Jesus (Christ lived
and performed the mighty deeds which are ascribed
to him. If a sufficient number of honest and com-
petent witnesses are examined, all of whom testify
that they saw Christ heal the sick, restore the blind
to sight, and raise the dead ; and if abundant evi-
dence is furnished that they could not be deceived
by false appearances, nor deluded by any spirit of
infatuation, then we are bound to admit their testi-
mony, or to give up entirely the basis upon which all
such testimony rests.

Admitting, then, the validity of human testimony,
let us briefly examine the miracles which Christ is
said to have performed.

The character and circumstances of the witnesses
were such as to favor the credibility of Christ's
miracles. Those who saw these remarkable displays
of omnipotent power, and bear testimony to their
reality, were men whose honesty and integrity had
never been impeached, — whose simplicity of charac-
ter placed them above the suspicion of attempting
to deceive the people, and whose strong common
sense and freedom from fanaticism, render it in the

53 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

highest degree improbable that they could them-
selves have been deluded. Besides, they had no
motive for giving currency to such events, unless
they actually took ])lace ; for they were aware how
extremely unpo])nlar the cause of Christ was among
the Jewish ])cople ; and how much it was to their
worldly disadvantage to be connected with such a
movement. They knew, too, that with the truth on
their side, they would be, by many, disbelieved, and
by others persecuted for having any confidence in
the reality of these miracles. Yet they went for-
ward, everywhere preaching this doctrine, and sub-
jecting lliemselves to every form of self-denial, in
order to induce men to embrace the truth. So fully
convinced were they of the Messiahshi]) and divinity
of Christ, that they were ready to lay down their
lives in defence of their faith. Now the idea cannot
be entertained for a moment, that these, or any other
men would go through such dangers and sufferings,
to establish a system of fraud, when that system
could be of no possible benefit to them either in this
world or tlic next. The only advantage that they
could derive from their doctrines, must necessarily
come from their truth ; and if their truth could not
be proved and maintained, then they were of all
men tlie most miserable. It is not in accordance
with any })rJnciples of human nature for men to pur-
sue a course of deception, wlien that very course is
disastrous to all tlicir worldly interests. We must
therefore believe that llicse disciples were honest and
sincere in their declarations respecting the miracles
which Christ performed. It is also ecpially clear that

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 59

while they did not attempt to deceive others, they
were not tliemselves deceived. They had every op-
portunity to decide upon the genuineness of these
miracles that the nature of the case allowed.

In the first place, they were performed in the most
public manner, and without any ostentatious display.
Every one had the opportunity of observing them,
and of judging of their reality. In the accounts
that we have of miracles professedly wrought by
Pagans, they have been performed in secret, or under
circumstances that prevented the fraud from being
easily discovered. The same is true of the pretended
miracles of the Papists. But Christ performed his
miracles in the most public manner, and in the pres-
ence of large and promiscuous crowds of people. In
the streets and public squares of Jerusalem, — in the
towns and villages of Judea, where great religious
festivals were held, — by the seaside, which was
much frequented by the people, he healed the sick,
cured the lepers, gave hearing to the deaf and sight
to the blind. Although the opposition that Christ
met with, would have justified him in making his
miracles less public, yet he persisted in performing
them before the whole people, believers and unbe-
lievers, friends and scoffers, in order that he might
disarm prejudice, and demonstrate to all who were
susceptible to the power of evidence, that he was the
long promised Messiah, the Son of the Most High.

Nor did this publicity partake in the least degree
of ostentation or pride. The Saviour performed his
miracles with the utmost simplicity and dignity.
Many of them were apparently called forth by some

60 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

incident or casual circumstance. Oftentimes those
who were healed were directed not to speak of what
liad been done for them ; and Christ, after making
most wonderful displays of miraculous power, would
retire to some secret retreat to avoid any demon-
stratioji of feeling that the spectators might be dis-
posed to make. His simple design appears to have
been, to allow these mighty deeds to stand upon their
own merits, and to produce those convictions upon
the minds of men which they were calculated to in-
spire. He did not need any artificial aids or vain
displays to attract attention and interest the public
mind. He did not either ordinarily trouble himself
to argue the question of the genuineness of his mir-
acles \vith the captious, the curious, or the unbeliev-
ing. After his arrest, and while under examination
before the high-priest, he said, " I spake openly to
the world : I ever taught in the synagogue, and in
the temple, whither the Jews always resort : and m
secret have I done notIiing\^^ His doctrines, life, and
deeds were all open for public inspection. He de-
sired to have them freely and fully investigated, and
he wished also to have their design clearly under-
stood. For his purpose was, not to attain any selfish
end, not to gratify a personal ambition, but to estab-
lish upon a broad and deep basis a great system of
moral truth, — a system adapted to the wants and
condition of the world, — suited to man's spiritual
nature, and capable of satisfying his purest and
loftiest desires. This noble purpose was ever before
his mind. It guided liim as a cloud by day and a
pillar of fire by night. And in })rosecuting his work,

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 61

he performed most of his mighty deeds among the
poor, the neglected, and the sorrowing. These
classes more than any others brought their sick, lame,
and blind to him. He moved among their abodes as
an angel of mercy, dispensing \\dth a liberal hand
his blessings. So full was he of divine power, that
virtue went forth even from the hem of his garment^
and healed a woman who simply touched it.

We should also consider, as bearing upon our
argument, the number of the miracles which Christ
performed. Besides the particular instances recorded,
the Evangelists frequently tell us that great multi-
tudes of people were brought to Christ, and that h^e
healed them all. Wherever he went, the fame of his
miracles, and of his unparalleled benevolence went
before him, and he found the streets lined with the
sick, and those who were suffering from various in*
firmities. St. Matthew says that "Jesus went about
all Galilee teaching in their synagogues, and healing-
all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease
among the people." John says, " Many other signs
did Jesus which are not \\Titten. But these are
written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that believing ye might have
life through his name."

These miracles also embrace the greatest variety.
When impostors pretend to work miracles, they
usually confine themselves to a few of one or two
classes. But the Saviour was ready to exercise his
power not only in reference to every disease, but
every evil and calamity to which mankind were sub-
ject. He gave strength to the infirm, health to the
6

62 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

lepers, vigor to the palsied arm, reason to the insane,
and called the dead to life. Four times he performed
the great miracle of raising the dead : once upon the
ruler's daughter ; then on the widow's son, as he was
being carried for burial ; again on Lazarus, after he
had been in the tomb four days ; and last, the most
glorious instance of all, upon himself. The elements,
too, were under his control. By the word of his
power he stilled the tempest and calmed the waves
of the ocean. He walked abroad as the Lord of
nature, — as a monarch possessing supreme authority.
And he appeals to his miracles as the evidences of
the truth of his system of doctrines and of his divine
mission. " The works that I do bear witness of me
that the Father hath sent me." Besides, he received
from the Father direct testimony to his sonship and
divinity. His birth was a miracle ; and, during his
life, three times was a voice heard from heaven, de-
claring him to be the Son of God. In the hour of
his crucifixion a supernatural darkness overspread
the heavens. The earth was rocked by a heavy
earthquake. The rocks were rent asunder; graves
were opened ; and all nature sympathized with the
death of its Lord.

The effects which the miracles of Christ produced
upon the popular mind is also a point worthy of
notice. IMultitudes were led by them to believe on
his name. Nicodemus frankly said, " We know
that thou art a teacher come from God ; for no man
can do these miracles wliich thou doest except God
be with him." Others, in spite of their early edu-
cation, strong religious prejudices, and the influence

HIS MIGHTY DEEDS. 63

of friends, were compelled to admit the evidence
and believe on Christ. During the first centmy
of Christianity, hmidreds of thousands, embracing
Jews, Greeks, Romans, and many who had been the
violent opposers of the Gospel, adopted the new
religion, and became its earnest and eloquent advo-
cates. Yes, thousands who had labored to crush the
faith as it is in Jesus, became convinced of their
error, and readily sacrificed every worldly advan-
tage to secure an interest in the Saviour of mankind.
They encountered the severest opposition, and in
many instances submitted to the horrors of a cruel
death, rather than deny their Lord.

It is also a significant fact, that in the regions
where these miracles were wrought, their reality was
not denied, though they were ascribed to other than
a divine agency. The Jews on one occasion attrib-
uted the miracles of Christ to Beelzebub ; and while
the Saviour was upon the cross, they declared that
he had saved others, and yet could not save himself.
Celsus, Porpyhry, Julian, and other enemies of Chris-
tianity, were forced by the overwhelming evidences
in the case, to admit the reality of the miracles of
Christ, but they ascribed them to magic. Their ad-
mission, however, shows that the proofs in their favor
were irresistible.

Indeed, if we look at the interesting character of
the miracles themselves, the circumstances under
which they were performed, and the number of hon-
est and truthful spectators who witnessed them, we
cannot see how the most bitter enemies of Chris-
tianity could deny their reality.

64 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

The first miracle which Christ wrought, namely,
the turning of water into wine at the marriage feast
in Galilee, bears every mark of being genuine. The
feeding of five thousand persons in the wilderness,
with a few loaves and fishes, was a miracle performed
under circumstances that clearly show the impossi-
bility of fraud or deception. So great was the im-
pression made by it upon the minds of the people,
and so fully were they convinced of Christ's super-
natural power, that they desired at once to make him
a king. That such a number of persons, collected in
a desert place, far from any village, and with no vis-
ible or human means of obtaining a sufficient supply
of food, could have been deceived or imposed upon,
does not fall within the bounds of possibility. The
raising of Lazarus was also a most striking miracle,
and one that produced a profound sensation through-
out the country.

AVith such proofs, we cannot doubt the reality and
genuineness of our Saviour's miracles. They are
before us as the credentials of his Messiahship and
divinity, — as the evidences of the truth of his doc-
trines, and of the justness of his claims to our faith
and love. Let them be cordially received, not only
to our intellects, but to our hearts, and in eternity we
shall behold the more splendid and glorious displays
of his infinite power and boundless benevolence.

VI.

PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE.

"Take these things hence; make not my father's house
AN house of merchandise." — St. John ii. 16.

We have two accounts of the cleansing of the
temple by our Lord, one by St. John which places
it at the beginning of Christ's public ministry dur-
ing his first visit at Jerusalem, and another, given by
the other Evangelists, which places it at the close of
his labors, after his triumphal entry into the city.
Whether both of these narratives refer to the same
occasion, or whether there were two instances of
purification, similar in their circumstances and re-
sults, we shall not attempt to determine. While
some take the ground that this event happened but
once, and that the reputation of John for chronologi-
cal accuracy, gives to his statement the most author-
ity, we see nothing unreasonable in the supposition
that Christ commenced and closed his ministry, by
thus vindicating the purity of the sacred temple.
The miracles which Christ performed during the
feast, and in the presence of vast multitudes of peo-
ple, established, as we have seen, his influence and
6*

66 LIFE SCENES OF TlIE MESSIAH.

authority among them. Their views, however, of
his true character and the precise nature of his mis-
sion, were as yet vague and unsettled. But the im-
pression was very general that a teacher of no ordi-
jiary wisdom, and a prophet of no ordinary power,
had appeared.

As was natural, the temple, with its interesting
associations and holy rites, was an object of the
Saviour's highest regard and veneration. He viewed
with the deepest sorrow the desecration of its sacred
courts, and resolved in the exercise of his authority,
to expel the traders who had made his Father's
house, a house of merchandise.

The temple in the time of Christ was a most
splendid and magnificent structure. Herod, in his
fondness for elegant public buildings, and his desire
to appease the Jews, had expended upon the rebuild-
ing of the edifice vast sums of money. It is de-
scribed by Josephus as possessing every quality that
was calculated to })lease the eye, or excite the aston-
ishment of the beholder. Being covered over with
plates of gold, it reflected with such intensity the
rays of the rising sun, that one could not gaze upon
it. At a great distance it had the appearance of a
mountain covered with snow; as those parts that
were not adorned with gold, were exceedingly white.
The stones of which it was composed were of im-
mense size, and the walls and gates were decorated
in the most costly and superb manner. Every thing
that wealth and art could do, was done to add to the
magnificence of the edifice, and render it an object
of universal admiration. Although the regard of the

PURIFICATIO^r OF THE TEMPLE. 67

Jews for the temple was such, that they resented the
least disrespect or contempt that was manifested
towards it, and would in many instances prefer to
suffer death rather than see it defiled, yet by a
gradual process, disorders had crept into the sacred
courts, that excited the Saviour's indignation. To
accommodate those who came from a distance to
Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, booths had been erected
in the court, where they could be supplied with every
thing necessary for this purpose. Money-changers
were also stationed there to exchange the Roman
and Greek coins into Jewish money, for those who
were required to pay the half-sheckel tribute to the
temple. At first, this trade was carried on w4th
some degree of decorum, but gradually the avarice
of the merchants and brokers predominated over
every other principle. The sacred court was pro-
faned by the presence of noisy and covetous traders,
who greatly disturbed the worship of the temple,
and disgusted those who had the spkit of devotion.

Nor can we fail to recognize in this outward and
palpable desecration, a picture of the secularization
of the whole Jewish theocracy. The spirit of world-
liness pervaded the priesthood and the rulers, and
entered into the most solemn services of the temple.
In the apparent zeal to rigidly fulfil the outward ob-
servances of the church, the people lost sight of the
great principles of right, justice, and holiness. And,
indeed, in all ages of the world we discover this
same tendency to secularize the purest forms of
religious faith. Man is more ready to drag down the
religion to suit his worldly and corrupt desires, than

68 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

to allow it to elevate and spiritualize his nature.
The religious element being an aeknowledged power
in society, ambitious and unprincipled men seize it,
and employ it to subserve their selfish and base pur-
poses. The ecclesiastical is united with the civil
authority, and the combination forms a system of
despotism that is destructive to the spiritual interests
of society. The history of the Romish church fur-
nishes a fearful illustration of the power for evil, of a
secularized religion. Here we see the purest doc-
trines and holiest aspirations of the soul perverted,
and made use of to accomplish the most corrupt
ends. The light of divine truth is employed to keep
men in darkness. The mercy and pardon offered
through the atonement, are used as instruments for
obtaining the most complete supremacy over the
human soul. Christianity is crushed in the name of
Christianity. Human progress is impeded by the
only system that can advance the race in intelli-
gence, moral culture, and happiness. A more sad
and ruinous perversion cannot be imagined, than the
perversion of a pure religious faith for worldly pur-
poses. It is as though men should combine, suppos-
ing they had the power, to turn the light of the sun
into darkness, or to poison the atmosphere upon
which life and health depend. Yet in all ages it has
been found that human depravity is equal to the
work of perverting the purest and most sacred doc-
trines. Even in our own day, the advocates of sys-
tems of iniquity seek for support in the Holy Scrip-
tures. They claim the divine sanction for forms of
evil that violate every principle of justice, and feeling

PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 69

of humanity. Not content to let the systems rest
upon their own merits or demerits, they labor to
plant them upon God's truth. They seek to estab-
lish wrong upon right, injustice upon integrity, and
falsehood upon truth. And had they the power,
they would secularize the whole Gospel, and turn
every house of worship in Christendom into a house
of merchandise.

In the corruptions which had crept into the sacred
courts at Jerusalem, doubtless many of the Jews
acquiesced. For being themselves under the sw^ay
of avarice and a sordid ambition, they were satisfied
if the forms of worship and the rites of the Mosaic
system were preserved. But as our Lord entered the
temple for worship, he was filled with indignation at
the spectacle before him. The profanation was so
glaring; the worldliness and avarice of the traders
presented such a contrast to the holy purposes to
which the temple had been consecrated, that the
Saviour at once resolved that such abuses should no
longer exist. Making therefore a scourge of small
cords, which were used to tie the beasts wdth, he
drove out all those who sold sheep and oxen, and
overthrew the table of the money-changers : " And
said unto them that sold doves, take these things
hence ; make not my Father's house a house of mer-
chandise."

We cannot suppose that any force was used by
Christ in expelling these traders, for this was contrary
to his character and the whole spirit of his mission.
Besides, unless a miracle was wrought, of which we
have no proof, he might easily have been resisted and

70 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAU.

overpowered by the multitudes, whose business and
hopes of gain were thus destroyed. We must con-
clude from the circumstances of the case, that it was
by liis influence and authority as an acknowledged
propliet ; by the earnestness and zeal that he mani-
fested, by the indignation that flashed from his eye,
and the words of solemn and momentous truth that
fell from his lips, that the traders were induced to
leave the sacred courts. In addition to this, their
consciences were aroused. They knew that they had
been guilty of a most gross profanation, and that
they had no right to fill the sacred courts with beasts
and merchandise. They doubtless looked upon the
scourge as the symbol of the divine judgments that
would befall them if they persisted in their wicked-
ness. They felt that he who addressed them spoke
by authority, and that it would be of little avail to
resist his commands.

In this act was foreshadowed one of the great pur-
poses of the Messiah's advent, which was to separate
secular from sacred things ; to divorce the spirit of
worldliness from the spirit of religion. Early in his
ministry he laid down the great principle, that men
could not serve God and mammon. There could
not be two supreme principles in the human soul at
the same time. One would necessarily and inevi-
tably destroy the other. If avarice or ambition, or
any form of w^orldliness, held possession of the forces
and afiections of the soul, the spirit of true worship
would become extinct. There is, indeed, no incon-
sistency between a due attention to worldly business
and the discharge of the highest religious duties. We

PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 71

are bound to serve God, by diligence in business as
well as fervency in spirit. And the arenas of trade
and commerce open a wide field for the exercise of
the noblest virtues, integrity, honor, and usefulness.
But it is the crowding of the merchandise of the
world within the precincts of religion, that the
Saviour so strenuously opposed. It is the union of
elements that cannot be mingled, of forces that in
their very nature are antagonistic, that he so emphat-
ically denounced. " My kingdom," he declared, " is
not of this world." It does not seek the patronage
of the world ; does not ask its favor, nor depend for
support upon its principles or maxims. It is a puie,
spiritual kingdom, based upon a more lasting founda-
tion than those upon which earthly empires rest,
having nobler aims and more glorious rewards than
those which men seek after. The forces by which it
is carried forward are all spiritual. Its end is the
sanctification of human hearts, — the preparation of
man for a purer and loftier state of being. It is a
kingdom which embraces the infinite attributes of
Jehovah, reflects the life, principles, and spirit of the
Saviour, and is the great source of moral light and
true happiness. Its power, therefore, depends upon
its freedom from worldly influences ; and its progress
has been in proportion to the spirituality and self-
denial of its advocates. Whenever they have come
out from the world and nobly battled for truth and
righteousness, then this kingdom has advanced. But
when it has been united with the civil government,
or employed to excuse or sustain any form of evil, it
has lost ground.

72 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

An act so public and unusual as the expulsion of
the traders from the sacred courts, could not fail to
be known at once by the priests and ruler?. They
were doubtless interested in maintaining this tralTic,
as it must have added to their profits, and helped to
sustain their authority. They came therefore to
Christ, and while they did not question the justness
and propriety of his course, they desired more dis-
tinct and satisfactory proofs of his prophetic mission
than they had heretofore received. They said to
him, " What sign showest thou to us, seeing that
thou doest these things ? " They thought that if he
should immediately perform some stupendous mira-
cle, he would justify his conduct in the eyes of the
nation. But he replied, " Destroy this temple, and in
three days I will raise it up." Astonished at such a
declaration, they exclaimed, " Forty and six years
was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up
in three days? " To appreciate the full force of this
exclamation, and of the impression that the saying
of Christ was calculated to make, we need to under-
stand the precise import of these words ; especially
as the second temple, erected by the Jews after the
captivity, was completed in twenty-one years.

As has already been intimated, the temple in the
time of our Lord was really the work of Herod the
Great. lie did not disturb the old building until he
had spent two years in making preparation for the
new one. "Josephus declares that a thousand
wagons were employed during that time in convey-
ing the stones and timber, that ten thousand artifi-
cers fitted all things for the building, and that one

PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 73

thousand priests who were skilled in architecture,,
oversaw and directed the works. This last is a re-
markable fact, illustrative and confirmatory of the
general impression, that the great Levitical body-
employed their abundant leisure largely in the culti-
vation of the higher branches of learning, science
and art, law, medicine, and architecture. After two
years had been thus spent in preparation, the old
temple was taken down, not all at once, as some
state, but by degrees, as fast as the parts removed
could be replaced by the new building. This took
place in the twenty-first year of Herod's reign,
seventeen years before Christ, and therefore forty-six
before the first passover of our Lord's ministry. It
is true that the main body of the temple was fin-
ished, so as to be fit for divine service in nine years
and a half; yet a great number of workmen were
still employed in carrying on the out-buildings during
all the time of our Saviour's abode upon the earth,
and even for some years after his death."

Such being the facts in the case, the Jews received
with mingled astonishment and indignation the re-
mark of Christ, " Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up." Besides the presumption
manifested in their view by such a declaration, they
regarded it as in the highest degree disrespectful to
allude in such a manner to the temple. They under-
stood the words in a literal sense, although they ad-
mit of a symbolical and prophetic meaning. Christ
knew that the splendid and imposing structure before-
him would be destroyed, and that not one stone
would be left upon another. He had clearly before
7

74 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

his mind tlie long train of circumstances that would
lead to such a catastrophe. And he knew that in
the fall of the temple, the system of rites and formal
worsliip of which it was the type, would fall with it.
Not that any fundamental principle or law of the
Mosaic dispensation would pass away, for truth, in
whatever relation or garb, is unchangeable and
eternal. But whatever was temporary, local, or ex-
clusive would be swept away. A national religion
would be abolished, to prepare the way for a rehgion
that would embrace all nations. A temple made of
perishable materials would fall, that a spkitual tem-
ple might rise, more splendid than that upon which
Herod had lavished his wealth, more accessible to
the masses of the people, and better suited to the
moral necessities of man. At the time, however,
that Christ uttered this dim prophecy, there were no
external indications that the solid and magnificent
structure would crumble to dust, and that a new,
spiritual, and rnore enduring edifice would rise,
adapted to universal worship. For Christ was com-
paratively but little known, and his followers were
very few. But the divine architect knew his powers
and resources. He knew that there was a force
within himself to accomplish all that he might pre-
dict or desire. Although he commenced the prepara-
tions for his sacred edifice on a small scale, yet he
knew that the work would advance ; that the num-
bers devoted to his service would increase, that the
temple would rise, and its magnificent proportions
and costly decorations attract the gaze of millions ;
that v.'ithin its walls whole nations would gather,

PURIFICATION OF THE TEMPLE. 75

and that the praises of joyous thousands and the
incense of pure devotion would ascend to the
Supreme Father.

But the words of Jesus in connection with the
time specified, " three days," had a most important
prophetic meaning, although it was not understood
by the Jews. They required of him who had driven
out the traders a sign, as evidence of his authority.
He assured them that he would give to them a sign ;
but it was one that they are not yet prepared to ap-
preciate or believe in. . He might at that moment
have WTOught a mu*acle to satisfy them on this par-
ticular point. But he had a vast and comprehensive
plan before him to fulfil. He was acting not for the
Jews alone, but for all the inhabitants of the earth ; —
not to gain a temporary influence, but to establish
his authority for all time. He therefore leaves his
hearers to meditate upon the utterance that has so
astonished them, and goes his way. In due time the
sign will be given, — a sign that will be the crowning
miracle of Christ's career. After being persecuted,
scourged, and crucified, he w^ill appear as the con-
queror of the last great enemy, death, — the noblest
conquest that can be conceived of by the human
mind. And this miracle will establish his authority
among all nations. It may be to the Jews a stum-
blingblock, and to the Greeks foolishness, but to the
mass of the human family, it will he the power of
God and the wisdom of God unto salvation.

Although the people did not comprehend the
meaning of Christ's declaration, yet his words made
a deep impression upon then* minds, and they were

76 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

ready, when the opportunity oceurred, to resent tlie
indignity which they thought had been cast upon the
temple. Such an opportunity the crucifixion of our
Lord furnished ; and as the multitude passed by,
" they reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying,
Ah, thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it
in three days, save thyself; if thou be the Son of
God, come down from the cross." But how little did
those maddened persecutors realize that they were,
at that very moment, fulfilling the first part of Christ's
prophetic words, and that in three days the whole
would be fulfilled. They were engaged in destroy-
ing the " temple of the living God," but in three
days it would rise with new beauty, and clothed with
immortal splendor.

Nor did the disciples understand the true import
of the Saviour's words until after the resurrection.
" Then," says St. John, they " remembered that he
had said this unto them, and they believed the Scrip-
ture, and the word which Jesus had said." Their
faith was confirmed in the divine mission of their
Master, and they were stimulated to press forward
with renewed vigor in his service. His authority was
established, not only to purify the temple, but to
purify all human hearts, and render them fit temples
for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

VII

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS.

" Verily, verily i say unto thee, except a man be born of

WATER and of THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE

KINGDOM OF GOD." — St. John iii. 5.

The visit which Christ thus early in his ministry
received from Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, afforded
him an opportunity to develop the fundamental prin-
ciples of his system of truth. Though Nicodemus
was a Pharisee, and an influential member of the
Sanhedrim, yet his mind was free from the spirit of
bigotry and intolerance which characterized so many
of his associates. He was evidently an honest in-
quirer after truth. He was open to conviction, and
to the force of evidences that appealed to his reason
and judgment. The mhacles of Christ seem fii'st to
have attracted his attention ; and, anxious to know
more of the character and teachings of so remarkable
a person, and one who possessed such supernatural
powers, he sought an interview with him by night.
Two motives may have influenced him in selecting
7* •

78 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

this season for his visit. He may have wished not
to strengthen the suspieion whieh might already have
been excited, that he was favorably disposed towards
Jesus ; and he may have desired to see him alone,
.and selected the hours of night, because during the
•day the attention of the Messiah was absorbed by
the multitudes who surrounded him.

On being introduced into the presence of Christ,
" he said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God ; for no man can do these
miracles which thou doest, except God be with him."
The use of the title Rabbi, on this occasion, was very
remarkable, considering the dignity and exalted sta-
tion of the visitor, and the humble origin and ap-
pearance of our Lord. It indicated the reverence and
confidence which Nicodemus entertained for the
being of whom he sought instruction. Participating,
as he did, in the general expectation which had been
awakened by John the Baptist, that the reign of the
Messiah was at hand, and feeling that the existing
institutions of religion had in a measure lost their
power, he deemed it possible that this remarkable
person might be the long expected Messiah. His
•confidence was further expressed in the declaration,
" we know that thou art a teacher sent from God ; "
and the evidence is, " no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him." In the
expression " we," he may have included some of his
colleagues of the sanhedrim, or he may have de-
signed to convey the idea, that it was generally
believed, though few were willing to acknowledge it,
that he was a teacher sent from God, and endowed

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 79

with supernatural powers. But Christ, knowing the
state of mind and moral wants of Nicodemus, and
not caring to converse with him upon the messianic
kingdom, and those topics to which he attached the
most importance, at once announced a doctrine new
and startling to his auditor, and one that was di-
rectly opposed to his whole system. " Except a man
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

The fundamental idea of the system of the Phari-
sees was, that their Jewish descent would secure to
them an entrance into the kingdom of God. Christ
seeks to destroy the force of this idea in the mind of
Nicodemus, and at the same time he indirectly shows
him that faith in the miracles which had been
wrought, was not sufficient to secure the salvation
of the soul. Besides, he announces a general truth,
and one that universally applies to all men, and that
is, the necessity of a spiritual regeneration. In op-
position to a dependence upon natural birth in a
particular line of descent; in opposition to an ad-
herence to external rites and forms, and expectations
based upon a secular kingdom, he announces to the
world the necessity of the divine life in the soul.
This is the central principle of his great system of
truth, — the principle that is to go forth to sanctify
human hearts, revolutionize the nations, overthrow sys-
tems of error, and prepare men for the kingdom of God.

That this doctrine was received with surprise and
perplexity by Nicodemus, docs not seem to us at all
strange, when we consider the state of the religious
community at that period. The prevailing sects in
Judea were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes,

80 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

severally representing the elements of formalism,
scepticism, and mysticism. The former were by far
the most powerful, and had the greatest authority in
religious and civil matters. Their reverence for the
INIosaic law, their rigidness in observing the rites and
ceremonies of religion, and their apparent sanctity,
gave them great influence with the people. Tliey
hoped to reach heaven by then frequent fasting, ab-
lutions, long prayers, and almsgiving. Their pride,
avarice, and licentiousness, under the cloak of hy-
pocrisy, are fully brought to view in the wTitings of
the Evangelists.

The Sadducees, their rivals, rejected many of the
doctrines of the ancient faith, and were distinguished
for their national pride, and hostility to a spiritual reli-
gion. The Essenes, though they had many com-
mendable traits and virtues, yet had but little influ-
ence over the mass of the people. " In these cir-
cumstances," says an able A\Titer, " the religion of
their fathers, yet revered as a form, had become cold
and sterile, a mere engine of political strife. Long
had the shekinah departed from the temple. The
voice of its oracle was dumb. INIore free from the
tendency to idolatry than in ancient times, and pre-
served untarnished in the ancient books, Judaism
had lost all regenerative force. The spirit of proph-
ecy was extinct. No holy seers predicted the glories
of the Messiah's reign, or denounced the judgments
of God against the workers of iniquity. No Debo-
rah sang under the palm-tree between Ramah and
Bethel. No Ezekiel thundered between the porch
and the altar. The word indeed remained ; but it

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 81

was a dead letter to the great body of the people.
The formalism of the Pharisees, on the one hand, and
the scepticism of the Sadducees on the other, para-
lyzed all pm-e and earnest feeling

''In addition to this, infidel and pagan notions,
introduced through the influence of the court, began
to prevail in some portions of Judea, particularly in
Caesarea, the Roman capital of the country ; while
the mass of the people, especially in the larger cities,
were intoxicated with a savage fanaticism. Some
holy hearts, here and there, in the temple and among
the mountains, consecrated by the memories of the
past, brooded over the prophecies, and longed for the
reign of God upon the earth." But over the great
body of the people, ignorance, superstition, and sen-
suality reigned.

Such was the state of Judea when Christ entered
upon his ministry. In the midst of such formalism
and moral darkness, he announced the great spiritual
doctrine of regeneration. He saw the necessity of
this truth to the purification of the human heart, the
renovation of society, and the sanctification and sal-
vation of the soul. Nothing short of this would meet
the exigencies of the case. Nothing else would break
and demolish the shell of formalism, dissipate the
mists of error, and restore to man the divine life. He
might have labored to abolish certain evil practices
of the people, and to introduce certain reforms into
the Jewish religion. But by so doing he would be
simply working upon the surface of society, while the
aim of his teachings was, to reach the centre, to place
in the hearts of men a central force, that might work

82 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

thence outwardly, and purify and spiritualize the
whole man. The former course held out, indeed, the
best prospects of success ; for few minds were pre-
pared for the latter. A purely spkitual system would
be understood and appreciated by comparatively few,
and would be opposed by the mass of the people. It
would have every form of evil to contend against, —
a secularized church, a corrupt priesthood, the de-
pravity and passions of men. But Christ saw that
it was the only effectual system, and that although
it would be rejected and opposed, yet it would grad-
ually work its way into society, and renovate and
bless the world.

Having announced this great truth to Nicodemus,
Christ proceeded to explain to him the nature and the
efficient cause of the new birth. The mind of the in-
quirer being perplexed by what had been announced
and resting upon the image employed rather than upon
the thing or principle signified, Christ added, " Except
a man be born of w^atcr and of the spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God." By the baptism of
water, wc know that a proselyte was admitted to the
Jewish religion, when he publicly declared his renun-
ciation of idolatry, and his belief in the God of Israel,
and in the laws of JNIoses. But this rite was simply
an emblem of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The
soul, still under an inward defilement, needed cleans-
ing; needed a thorough and complete renovation.
John, who came baptizing with water, distinctly de-
clared to the people, that this was not sufficient ; that
they must be the subjects of a higher baptism, in
order to secure the favor of God, and enter heaven.

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. S3

" I indeed," said he, " baptize you with water unto
repentance : but he that cometh after me is mightier
than I: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost
and with fire."

Nicodemus doubtless understanding the allusion
to the water, Christ proceeds to unfold the agency
of the spirit in the new birth. " That which is born
of the flesh is flesh," that is, partakes of the cor-
ruption of man's fallen nature ; while that which is
born of the spirit is sphit, is like the heavenly Spirit
in purity and holiness. The former is of the earth,
earthly. The latter is from above, — cometh down
from the Father of spirits, whose nature is love, the
essence of whose being is holiness. The former in-
troduces one to a world of temporal good, — to the
enjoyment of the sunlight, the beauties of natm-e,
and the various pleasures that here surround us.
The latter introduces the soul to a higher life, to
communion with the Father, to the radiance and
splendors that emanate from the eternal throne, to
the excellencies and glories of a spiritual kingdom.
The former affords a field for the development of the
physical strength, and the maturing of the bodily
organs. The latter opens a theatre for the exercise
of the noblest powers and divine faculties of the
soul. It places within reach of the mind, treasures
of infinite value, joys that eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, nor the heart of man conceived of. " IMarvel
not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it com-
eth, or whither it goeth : so is every one that is born

84 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

of the Spirit." As though Christ had said, " Do not
wonder at the necessity and reality of this change
\\TOught in the soul by the Holy Spirit; for though
it is to you incomprehensible, yet it is not impossi-
ble. He who has created the human mind, is fa-
miliar with all the avenues to it, and can influence it
by a divine agency, though the process is not appar-
ent to our vision." The image by which the point
is illustrated is both forcible and beautiful. When
we stand upon an eminence, and look around upon
the various objects of nature reposing in the calm of
a summer's day, there is no force visible by which
these objects can be moved or agitated. Every leaf,
flower, and spire of grass is motionless. Not a rip-
ple can be discovered upon the surrounding lakes.
Not a breath is perceptible in the atmosphere. But
suddenly a change comes over the scene. The
branches of the trees begin to move to and fro. The
waters are agitated. The clouds are flying thick and
fast above our heads. The oaks of the forest bend
beneath the blast. The calm is exchanged for a
scene of wild sublimity and awful grandeur. Whence
the wind cometh and whither it goeth, we know not.
We may apply to the phenomenon certain laws of
science touching the action of heat and cold upon
the atmosphere, but to the spectator no causes are
visible that give direction and motion to the wind.
Thus the moral atmosphere around us is charged
with the elements of a divine agency. The move-
ments and operations of this supernatural force are
not visible to human sight. But the eff*ects pro-
duced by this agency upon the soul, are as marked

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 85

as those produced by a powerful wind. The breath
of the Almighty quickens the dormant energies of
the soul, and gives life and vigor to a spirit before-
dead in trespasses and sins. The fruits of the Spirit
are experienced, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gen-
tleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The
mind becomes a garden abounding in the choicest
fruits, adorned with every virtue, and fragrant with a
celestial atmosphere. The Spirit itself, the author of
regeneration, "beareth witness with our spirit that
we are the children of God." " Whosoever be-
lieveth," says John, " that Jesus is the Christ, is bora
of God ; " and " whatsoever is born of God over-
cometh the world."

It is true, that the Holy Spirit has, in a few in-
stances, been manifested to the senses, as in the dove
that descended and rested upon the Saviour at the
time of his baptism ; in the cloven tongues of fire
that rested upon the apostles, and when the " mighty
rushing wind filled all the house where they were
sitting." But it is obvious that these manifestations
were simply emblematical, and were designed to
mark the importance of the occasions on which they
appeared. The agency is purely spiritual. Its work
is spiritual. Its effects are spiritual. At another
time Christ said, " The kingdom of God cometh not
with observation ; neither shall they say, Lo ! here,,
or lo I there, for behold it is within you." Its march
is attended by no outward display of splendor or
power. No blasts of trumpets announce its approach.
No steel-clad hosts achieve its conquests, or partici-
pate in its triumphs. Its progress is in the hearts of
8

86 LIFE SCEJfES OF THE MESSIAH.

men. It moves among the affections. It subdues
the will, enlightens the conscience, places God upon
the throne of the soul ; and brings all ihe feelings,
desires, and purposes into sweet subjection to his
authority.

Under the explanation, graciously given by our
Lord, light breaks in upon the mind of Nicodemus.
Yet his perplexity is not entirely removed. " How
can these things be ? " he asks. Jesus avails himself
of this exclamation to lead the learned theologian to
examine his own views and knowledge of divine
truth, and to feel his need of the Spirit's illumination.
" Art thou," he says, " a master or teacher of Israel,
and knowest not these things ? " Dost thou presume
to guide others in the w^ay of truth and righteousness,
and art thyself ignorant of that way ? Do not the
ancient Sciptures which you profess to study and to
teach, contain this doctrine, as in the words in Eze-
kiel ? " A new heart also will I give you, and a new
spirit will I put within you, and cause you to walk
in my statutes." The Jews held to a general idea of
a new birth ; but they had substituted the form for
the spirit ; they had put proselytism and baptism in
the place of conversion and inward sanctification.

Then Christ, to prove his sincerity, and the truth
of his doctrine, and at the same time administer a
gentle reproof to his distinguished guest, for being a
teacher in Israel, and at the same time ignorant of
the first rudiments of religion, declared : " Verily,
verily I say unto thee, we speak that we do know and
testify that we have seen." We do not teach a sys-
tem that we do not understand, or concerninfif which

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 87

we have any doubts. We have absolute knowledge
on these points so vital to man's salvation. We tes-
tify to that we have seen, — to that of which we are
fully assured in our own minds. We stand upon the
everlasting rock of divine truth, and bear testimony
to the great principles that lie at the basis of God's
spiritual kingdom.

He then added : " If I have told you earthly things,"
things capable of being illustrated by earthly objects,
or imagery that is familiar to you, and ye believe
not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly
things ? What hope is there that you would have
faith in any revelations that I might make to you of
the glories of heaven, the employments of angels, and
the nature and majesty of the divine character ? And
the same inquiry may be put to multitudes at the
present day. If they will not admit the first principles
of the Christian system ; if they will not open their
minds to the force of the doctrine that demands a
thorough renovation of the heart and the life, how
can they be expected to exercise faith in those spir-^
itual themes and sublime revelations that pertain to
a heavenly and immortal state ? The foundation must
obviously be laid before the superstructure can be
reared. Sound principles must constitute the basis
of a spiritual education. The blindness must be
removed from our vision before we can discern celes-
tial objects. The hardness must be removed from
the heart, before its sensibilities can be thrilled by the
joys of a heavenly state and the music of angelic
choirs. The will must be in unison with the divine
will, before we can experience the blessedness of being

88 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

the sons of God and the heirs of an eternal inher-
itance.

Christ in the next place unfolds to the mind of
Nicodemus the design of his advent, and the abso-
lute necessity of faith in him as the Redeemer of
the world; thus bringing to view the great moral
forces, by which, through the aid of the Spirit, the
work of regeneration was to be accomplished.

Nicodemus supposed that the Messiah w^ould
come to be exalted to a magnificent throne, and
move among men surrounded w^ith the splendors of
royalty, and receive the homage of the nations. But
Christ combats this idea with the declaration, "As
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even
so must the Son of Man be lifted up ; that whoso-
ever believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life." The allusion to the brazen serpent may
not have conveyed to Nicodemus a full and distinct
view of Christ's sufferings, and the doctrine of the
atonement, but it was suliicient to stimulate his in-
quiries, and excite his desires to know more of so
wonderful and illustrious a teacher.

Then follow the sublime and cheering words, —
words that should thrill every heart, and excite the
everlasting gratitude of every listener, — " For God so
loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
tliat whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life." Though the world was in
ruins, — though man had forfeited the favor of his
Maker, — though wars, cruelty, injustice, and oppres-
sion prevailed among the nations, — though the light
of an ancient dispensation had become dim, and its

INTERVIEW WITH NICODEMUS. 89

solemn rites had degenerated into vain superstitions,
— though darkness covered the earth and gross dark-
ness the people, — though the whole race seemed like
a shattered bark tossed upon the billows of a tem-
pestuous ocean, and ready at any moment to be
ingulfed, or be dashed upon the rocks, yet God so
loved the world as to give his only Son to suffer and
die for it. Although the exigency of the case re-
quired an infinite sacrifice, and although the ravages
of sin could be stayed, and man justified and regen-
erated only by the crucifixion of the Son of the
Most High, still heaven was willing to make the
sacrifice. The height, depth, length, and breadth of
this love, no finite mind can measure. It spreads
out before us as an ocean boundless and fathomless.
But the truth is distinctly brought to light, that this
manifestation of love, wonderful and glorious as it
is, is not enough to secure the salvation of the soul.
There must be faith in this Saviour, in his mission,
in the truths of his great system ; not a dead faith ;
not a mere intellectual faith ; but a living, vital, soul-
pervading faith, — a faith that will work a thorough
renovation of the character, a regeneration of the
spirit. And the mind that opens itself to the full
power of this principle commences its real life. It is
placed in just relations to God, his government, and
the moral universe. It is united to Christ as the
branch is united to the vine, and draws thence its
spiritual nourishment and force. Henceforth there is
before it a sublime and glorious career. Progress in
knowledge, holiness, and happiness is its destiny.
8*

90 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

God is its end, heaven is its home, and immortal
blessedness is its portion.

These gi-eat truths of the Gospel system made, as
we have reason to believe, a sakitary impression upon
the mind of Nicodemus. His defence of Christ in
the Sanhedrim (John vii. 50), and the part that he
took in the burial of Christ (John xLx. 89), lead us to
believe that he received "the truth as it is in Jesus."

VIII

THE SA]\IARITAN WOMAN.

" Then COMETH he to a city of samaria, which is called

STCHAR, NEAR TO THE PARCEL OF GROUND THAT JACOB GAVE
TO HIS SON JOSEPH. NOW JACOb's WELL WAS THERE. JESUS
THEREFORE BEING WEARY WITH HIS JOURNEY, SAT THUS ON
THE WELL : AND IT WAS ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR. THERE
COMETH A WOMAN OP SAMARIA TO DRAW WATER. JESUS
SAITH UNTO HER, GIVE ME TO DRINK. — St. Jollll iv. 5-7.

Our Lord having labored with great success for
several months in Judea, resolved to return to Gali-
lee, his former abode. Various reasons have been
assigned for this journey, the most probable of
which is, that the growing fame of the Saviour had
excited the jealousy of the Pharisees to such a de-
gree, that he deemed it expedient to retire for a
season from the field, and go where the influence of
the chief priests and rulers was not so great. There
were several routes by which travellers could reach
Galilee, the most direct of which passed directly
through Samaria, a country lying between Judea
and Galilee. This route, however, though much the
shortest, was seldom travelled by the Jews, as their
hatred of the Samaritans induced them to shun their

92 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

foes as much as possible. The most rigid and
•bigoted of the Jews, considered themselves polluted
if they had any intercourse with the Samaritans.
They regarded them with even more contempt and
abhorrence than tliey did the heathen. The Saviour,
Avho did not share in the least degree in their preju-
dices, but had a heart full of sympathy and love for
all classes of men, resolved to pass directly through
this despised country.

On his way, being greatly fatigued by the jour-
ney, and suflering from thirst, he sat down about
mid-day by the side of Jacob's well, to rest and
refresh himself. This well, from the historical asso-
ciations connected with it, is an object of great inter-
est with all pilgrims and travellers. Maundrell, in
describing it, says:." At one third of an hour from
Naplosa, we came to Jacob's well, famous not only
on account of its author, but much more for that
memorable conference which our blessed Saviour
here had with the woman of Samaria. Over the
well there stood formerly a large church, erected by
"that great and devout patroness of the Holy Land,
the Empress Helena; but of this the voracity of
fime, assisted by the hands of the Turks, has left
nothing but a few foundations remaining. The well
is covered at present with an old stone vault, into
which you are let down ; and then removing a
broad, flat stone, you discover the mouth of the well
itself. It is dug in a firm rock, and is about three
yards in diameter, and tliirty-five in depth, five of
which we found full of water."

When Dr. Robinson, during his researches in the

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 93

Holy Land, visited the well, he found it bearing the
marks of great antiquity, but dry and deserted. A large
stone laid over its mouth, and as it was late and the
twilight almost gone, his party made no attempt to
remove it.

Another distinguished traveller says : " This spot
is so distinctly marked by the Evangelists, and so
little liable to uncertainty, from the circumstance of
the well itself, and the features of the country, that if
no tradition existed for its identity, the site of it
could hardly be mistaken. Perhaps no Christian
scholar ever attentively read the fourth chapter of St.
John without being struck with the numerous inter-
nal evidences of truth which crowd upon the mind
in its perusal. Within so small a compass, it is im-
possible to find in other writings so many sources of
reflection and of interest. Independently of its
importance as a theological document, it concentrates
so much information, that a volume might be filled
with the illustration it reflects on the history of the
Jews, and on the geography of their country."

By the side of this well, Jesus, a weary traveller,
sat down. His disciples he had sent away to pur-
chase food, as they could not be entertained at the
houses of the Samaritans. For it appears that these
people were not slow to return the hatred which was
exercised towards them by their self-righteous and
haughty neighbors. While Jesus was thus sitting
alone, meditating perhaps upon the scenes and events
suggested by the memorable locality which he occu-
pied, " There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw
water. Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink."

94 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

As we advance in the narrative given of this inter-
esting interview, we shall find the following points
unfolded. The fountains of salvation are opened ;
the evidences of Christ's messiahship are furnished;
the nature of true spiritual worship is explained, and
the way is prepared for the preaching of the everlast-
ing gospel to the people of Samaria.

The request made by Christ excites in the woman
the greatest astonishment. " How is it," she replies,
" that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which
am a woman of Samaria ? for the Jews have no
dealings with the Samaritans." Jesus, almost for-
getting his thirst in his anxiety to impart spiritual
benefits to the woman, availed himself of the occa-
sion to instruct and enlighten her mind. Instead of
wasting time in discussing the prejudices that existed
between the Jews and the Samaritans, he at once
said to her : " If thou knewest the gift of God, and
who it is that saith to thee. Give me to drink, thou
wouldest have asked of him, and he would have
given thee living water." By the phrase "living
water," although Christ used it in a spiritual sense,
is understood fresh spring water that is constantly
flowing, and this was the idea that the woman
received. Of course she was delighted at the thought
of obtaining pure, fresh water, without the fatigue of
passing daily over a dusty road to obtain it. But
Cln-ist, perceiving that he had arrested her attention,
although the spiritual import of the words was not
understood, proceeded still further to develop the
great truth which was embodied in this beautiful
image. In answer to the inquiry. Whether he was

THE SAMARITAN WOMAX. 95

greater than their father Jacob, who gave to them
the well, he replied, and the language is full of intense
meaning to all, " Whosoever drinketh of this water
shall thirst again : but whosoever drinketh of the
water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but it
shall be in him a well of water, springing up into
everlasting life." To the truth of the first part of this
proposition, the poor Samaritan woman could bear
abundant testimony ; for she had often travelled far
in the heat of the day to draw water from this deep
well, to quench her thirst. She also had experience
of the unsatisfying nature of all earthly good. She
had lived a life of sin. Her mind was in darkness.
She had some conceptions of a coming Messiah, but
they were vague, and seemed to have had but little
practical influence upon her. " If thou knewest the
gift of God," said Christ to her, — if she had but been
aware that the infinite Jehovah had presented to the
world no less a gift than his only and well-beloved
Son ; if she had known the divine nature and ex-
alted character of Him who said to her. Give me to
drink, she would at once have asked for the greatest
of all blessings. She would have asked for the living
waters of salvation, which would have satisfied the
longings of the soul, — which become to all that
receive them, a fountain of spiritual delights, spring-
ing up, or flowing on, to everlasting life. And these
rich gifts Christ was ready to bestow even upon a
poor and unworthy Samaritan woman. He had left
his throne of glory and the high honors of a celestial
court, that he might place infinite treasures before
the poor and the sinful children of men. Perhaps he

96 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

planned this journey, and tarried at the well in order
that lie miffht have this interview with the Samaritan
woman, and ofler to her eternal life. And if the
greatest of all preachers, one who spake as never
man spake, was ready to exhibit divine truth to a
single listener, shall any of his followers deem any
opportunity for doing good as too trivial to be im-
proved ? Christ might have remained in the cities
of Judea, and daily addressed admiring thousands.
He might have attracted multitudes by the eloquence
of his words, the force of his doctrines, and the won-
derful displays of his miraculous power. But we find
him far away from the seats of authority and the
applause of the multitude, and, as a weary traveller,
engaged in instructing a despised Samaritan woman.
He opens before her the great doctrines of a free salva-
tion ; of an abundance of living waters, of which all
who are willing may partake, and of everlasting life ;
doctrines which patriarchs and prophets would have
rejoiced to have heard, and which were worthy the
attention of the most gifted and enlightened audience
that could be assembled upon the earth.

Jesus also unfolds in an indirect, yet most skilful
manner, the evidences of his Messiahship. He in-
stitutes inquiries, and makes statements with regard
to the woman's past life, which led her to exclaim,
" Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet." Light be-
gins to break in u})on her mind. The truth flashes
upon her that she is conversing with no ordinary
person, but with one who could read all the secrets
of her past life. The doctrine of Christ's omnis-
cience is in fact presented to her mind, to convince

THE SAMARITAN ATOMAX. 97

her of the reality of the livhig waters to which her
attention had been directed. She has the proof that
her instructor is not only willing, but able to bestow
the highest and most precious spiritual gifts. He
does not enter into a formal and abstruse demonstra-
tion of his divinity, but seizes at once upon those
evidences that are calculated to make the deepest
and most lasting impression upon the woman's
mind. She is startled with a recital of her whole
history, by one who is a perfect stranger to her ; by-
one whom she took to be a prejudiced Jew, who
would have no dealings with the Samaritans, and
who would not receive even the slightest favor from
their hands. She hears from his lips the minutest
events in her life described, and a degree of knowl-
edge is displayed that could belong to no human
intellect.

In thus accompanying promises with the proof of
an ability to fulfil them, Christ acted in accordance
with his usual custom, when developing his mission
and his system of truth. While requiring the exercise
of faith, he furnished the foundation upon which it
should rest. Though the supernatural element ran
through his history, from the period of his birth to
the day of his ascension, yet he ever regarded the
claims of human reason. He was ever ready to
recommend his doctrines by an appeal to evidence ;
to the prophetic utterances respecting him contained
in the ancient Scriptures, to his life, his miracles,
and to the various proofs he gave that he was the
Son of God. He wished for none other, than a firm
and solid basis upon which to rest his cause.
9

98 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

The woman being satisfied that he who addressed
her was a })ro])het, availed herself of the opportu-
nity, to obtain if possible a solution of the vexed
question which had so long divided the Jews and
Samaritans. As they stood where the lofty summit
of Mount Gerizim was in full sight, the woman,
while perhaps pointing to it, said, " Our fathers wor-
shipped in this mountain ; and ye say that in Jerusa-
lem is the place where men ought to worship." This
controversy arose at the time of the return of the
Jews from their captivity. The Samaritans desired
to unite with them in rebuilding the temple, and
wished to be associated with them in religious faith
and services. But the Jewish rulers repulsed them,
and declared that Cyrus had committed the work
solely to their hands. Feeling indignant at the op-
position of the Jews, they resolved to erect a temple
upon Mount Gerizim, a mountain with which there
were sacred associations, in connection with the en-
trance of the Israelites into the promised land, and
the blessings pronounced upon those who obeyed the
law of the Lord. This measure very naturally in-
creased the hostility that existed between the t^vo
nations, and gave rise to a bitter controversy as to
the place where divine worship should be rendered.
The Samaritans contended that they held the only
pure, legitimate, and divinely appointed services, and
that their temple received the sanction of the divine
presence. The Jews, on the other hand, claimed that
Jerusalem was the capital of God's kingdom on this
earth, and that the rites performed in their temple
were alone acceptable to Jehovah. The antagonism

THE SAMARITAX WOMAX. 99

created by this discussion engendered the most bitter
hatred between the two parties. They waiild not
entertain each other at then* houses, nor have any
communication, except occasionally for the purposes
of ti'ade. It was very natural, therefore, that the
Samaritan woman should seek light upon a point
which so divided the t^vo nations, and which was
deemed so vital to their spiritual interests and hopes.
And the reply which Christ made to her was appli-
cable not only to the sacred mountain that was in
sight, and to Jerusalem, but to all localities w^ith
which men might suppose that special divine favors
were connected. He swept away the whole system
of formal rites and local worship. It had been neces-
sary, indeed, in times past, to connect a knowledge
of the Deity with prescribed ceremonies and sacred
localities ; but that necessity existed no longer.
" Woman," said Jesus, " believe me ; the hour com-
eth, and now is, when ye shall neither in this moun-
tain, nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father," that
is, according to the present forms and usages. " But
the true worshippers shall Avorship the Father in
spirit and in truth : for the Father seeketh such to
worship him."

The time had come for the introduction of a new
and spiritual system, a system not confined to formal
rites, but seeking access to the human heart; not
limited to the summit of a mountain, or to the walls
of Jerusalem, but spreading over the nations, and
offering its blessings to the whole human family. To
unfold this dispensation to the world, was an impor-
tant part of the Messiah's work. Indeed it com-

937435A

100 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

mciiccd with his life on the earth. At his birth, the
purest moral light dawned upon the world. In his
teachings, example, and mighty works, he revealed
the Father, the principles of his government, and the
nature of true religion. He makes proclamation not
only to the Samaritan woman, but to all mankind,
" God is a spirit, and they who worship him must
worship him in spirit and in truth."

Both the Jews and Samaritans worshipped the
true God, but their ideas of his nature and character
were crude and limited. Their conceptions were
based upon the visible and extraordinary manifesta-
tions that he made of himself in ages past, and they
thought of him as a being afar off, who could only
be approached through certain forms, and in certain
places. But Christ announces that he is an all-pervad-
ing Spirit, a divine essence that fills the universe and
demands a spiritual worship. He would have every
mountain and hill and valley consecrated to his ser-
vice. From every city he would see rising the in-
cense of pure devotion. Every human heart he
would transform into a sacred temple. In every
spirit he would establish a " Holy of holies." All
the people, even the Gentile world, he would make
" kings and priests unto God."

And under this dispensation, instead of beholding
the Deity in a burning bush, we behold him in every
star that glitters in tlie heavens, in the light and glory
of every morning's sun. Instead of recognizing his
goodness in the falling manna, we perceive it in the
regular succession of seed-time and harvest, and in
the rich variety and abundance of fruits which the

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 101

earth annually yields. Instead of travelling towards
a promised land abounding in temporal blessings, we
are urged to press forward towards a celestial para-
dise, towards a heavenly city that hath foundation,
whose builder and maker is God. Instead of em-
bodying our reverence in types and forms, we are
required to worship " in spirit and in truth."

In this requisition there is a fulness and depth of
meaning that is worthy of our profound attention.
The very nature of spiritual worship, involves a
union between our souls and the Infinite Being, a
union of feeling, sentiment, purpose, and will. Such
worship cannot be rendered except by a soul wholly
consecrated to God, and thoroughly pervaded by a
spirit of holiness. If the supreme affections are
fastened upon the world, or any inferior good, or if
there is a disposition to substitute the form for the
reality, the worship is vitiated. In fact it does not
exist ; for there cannot be a spiritual worship that is
not genuine. It is an element that cannot be coun-
terfeited. The Saviour, in designating those who
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, calls
them true worshippers ; and he adds, " the Father
seeketh such to worship him." He does not seek the
formalist, nor him whose religion is confined to a
mountain or a temple, but the sincere, earnest wor-
shipper. Nor is this requisition fully met by the
spirit of devotion, however pure and lofty it may be.
There must accompany it a life of rectitude and cor-
dial obedience ; a life based upon the principles of
divine truth. Worship without service ; devotion
without corresponding religious principles, go for
9*

102 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

nothing in the estimation of the omniscient Being.
This is very forcibly presented in the language of
Jehovah as uttered by his prophet : " Bring no more
vain oblations ; incense is an abomination unto me ;
your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul
hatcth. Put away the evil of your doings from be-
fore mine eyes ; cease to do evil ; learn to do well,
seek judgment, relieve the oppressed." God is most
honored by a just, humane, holy life. He is wor-
shipped in every benevolent deed, and in every earn-
est endeavor to promote human welfare and the
divine glory. And such worshippers he seeks in all
ages and in all nations. He seeks them to maintain
and recommend the true faith, and to perpetuate a
spiritual worship that w^ill be acceptable to him.

The instructions thus imparted to the -Samaritan
A\'oman made a deep impression upon her mind ; and
v\' hen she learned that it was the promised Messiah
who addressed her, she was filled with amazement
and delight. Forgetting the object that brought her
to the well, she left her water-pot and hastened to
the city, to inform her friends of what had transpired.
The Saviour also finding a field of great usefulness
opening before him, seemed to forget his fatigue and
hunger. His disciples having returned with food,
entreated him to partake of it and refresh himself.
But he replied : " I have meat to eat that ye know
not of. INIy meat is to do the will of him that sent
me, and to finish his work." He found a purer pleas-
ure, a richer entertainment in doing the will of his
Father, than in partaking of the luxuries that this
earth furnished. Although he was hungry and thirsty

THE SAMARITAN WOMAN. 103

and exhausted, yet his highest enjoyment consisted
in imparting spiritual benefits to the needy and the
perishing. Beholding, on the one hand, the throngs
coming towards him from the city, and, on the other,
the husbandmen casting the seed into the ground, he
avails himself of the imagery presented to his mind,
to illustrate the great work upon which he had
already entered among the Samaritans. Alluding to
a phrase familiar with the people at that season of
the year, that " there are yet four months, and then
cometh harvest," he added, pointing to the approach-
ing multitudes : " Lift up your eyes, and look on the
field ; for they are white already to harvest." In the
natural world, four months must elapse before the
ripened grain will wave in the breeze; but in the
spiritual world, though the seed was so recently
sown, yet the fields are already white to the harvest.
And the great reaper is ready to gather it in. He is
ready to receive to himself all who will exercise
repentance and faith. And many believed on him
as "the Christ, the Saviour of the world.'' Many
are to-day rejoicing in the glories of his everlasting
kingdom, as the fruits of that short sermon which
was preached to a poor Samaritan woman at Jacob's
w^eU.

IX

CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT.

**AXD SEEING THE MULTITUDES, HE WENT UP IKTO A MOUNTAIN;
AND WHEN HE WAS SET, HIS DISCIPLES CAME UNTO HIM.
AND HE OPENED HIS 3IOUTH AND TAUGHT THEM. — MatthcW
V. 1, 2.

We now come to view Christ as a public preacher
of divine truth. He held, as we are aware, many
offices. He came to fulfil a complex mission ; a mis-
sion, varied in its bearings, as well as glorious in its
results. He was not only a Redeemer, but a Prophet,
a Priest, and a King. He uttered and fulfilled proph-
ecy. He was a teacher sent from God, to teach all
other teachers, to unfold the treasures of infinite wis-
dom,— to brino[ life and immortality to lisrht. As
a King, he ever maintained a royal bearing. Though
he vras poor and despised, and had not where to lay
his head, he was still a Prince, If he had thrown
aside the robes, he had not thrown aside the nature
of liis kingship. Neither the ridicule heaped upon
him, nor the opposition that he encountered, nor even
his crucifixion, extinguish(xl his sovereignty.

But it is with Christ, in his ollice as a preacher, that

CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 105

we are now concerned. During his ministry, he often
taught in the Jewish synagogue, in the temple, and
by the wayside. He also seized upon important
occasions for developing .and illustrating the funda-
mental docti'ines of divine truth. Such an occasion
was that which called forth the memorable Sermon
on the Mount. The hostility which the Pharisees
entertained towards Christ, began to excite a general
opposition against him throughout the land. He
was charged with heresy and blasphemy by the
inhabitants of Galilee, and the prejudices which had
been aroused against him, were daily gaining ground
among a large portion of the community. It became,
therefore, necessary for him publicly to explain and
vindicate his doctrines ; and this he did in a most
simple, yet masterly manner. Returning from one of
his preaching tours in Galilee, a great multitude,
attracted by the eloquence of his words and the nov-
elty of his mighty deeds, followed him. Towards
evening they drew near to Capernaum, and rested
at the foot of a mountain. The next morning, as the
sun was gilding the surrounding hill-tops, and pour-
ing its splendor through the valleys, and while the
air was fragrant with the opening flowers, and vocal
with the songs of birds, the Saviour, refreshed by
sleep, selected a favorable position for addressing the
multitude. He did not wait until he had entered the
city of Capernaum, and notified its inhabitants of
his intended discourse, but, with his characteristic
simplicity, availed himself of the opportunity afibrded
by the presence of a promiscuous crowd, who seemed
willing to listen to his words. He preferred also to

106 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

be out in the open air, surrounded by the beauties
and sublimities of nature, that bore the impress of
his own creative wisdom and power. The mountain
served him as a pulj)it. The broad canopy above
Avas the dome of his great temple. The surrounding
mountain peaks were the columns wrought by the
Supreme Architect. The morning mist, tinged by
the rays of the sun, threw a celestial halo over the
scene. Below were the eager multitude, waiting for
the words of wisdom that were to drop from heav-
enly lips. Above were angel forms, visible not to
human sight, but known by him whom they were
appointed to watch over, and whom they were all
commanded to worship.

The silence of the hour was broken by the utter-
ance of the most remarkable, impressive, and im-
portant discourse that was ever listened to on earth.
It is not my purpose to treat in detail of its several
principles and doctrines, but I vv'ish simply to point
out some of the general characteristics of Christ as
a preacher of divine truth.

In the first place, in this as well as aU his other dis-
courses, he deals with the most vital and fundamental
of moral truths. Upon the minor matters of forms, ex-
ternal rites, and what may be termed the mint, anise,
and cumin of religion, he bestows no attention. He
grapples with the life-questions that pertain to the
divine government and human responsibility and des-
tiny. He announced the object of his advent in these
emphatic words : " To this end was I born, and for
this cause came I into the world, that I might bear
witness to the truth." He came ladened with the treas-

CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 107

ures of infinite wisdom which he scattered in every
pathway that he trod, in every city that he visited, in
every circle in which he moved. He came to clear
away the mists of error, to break up the fatal delu-
sions into which mankind had fallen, and to reveal
a system of ethics and theology that would satisfy
the soul and guide it to happiness and glory.

In the Sermon on the Mount, his particular design
was to exhibit the nature of his kingdom, and its
connection with the ancient dispensation. He wished
to disabuse the minds of his hearers of the idea that
he stood in any way in antagonism to the Mosaic
system, for which they entertained so much rever-
ence ; and he endeavored to convince them that that
system was preparatory to his ; was the type and
forerunner of the glorious reality which he revealed.
His sermon served, therefore, as a bridge from the
law to the gospel, over which the Jews might travel
from a region of forms, to one of spiritual truth and
life. His object was to break in upon their modes
of thinking upon religious subjects, and lead them to
take spiritual views, and seek a higher standard of
moral excellence. The very first passage in the dis-
course, is a blow levelled against the pride of the peo-
ple and their Pharisaic self-righteousness. The pooi
in spirit are pronounced blessed, or happy, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. This glorious inheritance
belongs, not to those who boast of their Jewish
descent, and of their peculiar national privileges,
but who, feeling the poverty of all earthly rites and
rewards, seek for the riches of a spiritual kingdom.

Many of his hearers were ambitious, and expected

108 LIFE SCENES OF THE xMESSIAH.

that Christ would establish a splendid worldly em-
pire whicli would overshadow and subdue all others ;
that his divine power would be employed in found-
ing a magnificent throne, and founding military
forces that would be the terror of all surrounding
nations. To meet and dispel this false idea, Christ
next declares, " Blessed are the meek, for they shall
inherit the earth." As though he had said, " those
who are the least ambitious for power shall obtain it.
Conquests will indeed be made, not however by force
of arms, nor even by overwhelming displays of
miraculous power, but by the might of meekness and
gentleness of spirit. The nations will be swayed,
not by a sceptre of iron, but by a sceptre of love."
And this process we see now going on, as the king-
doms of the earth are becoming the kingdoms of our
Lord. The forces that subdue them are moral forces.
We send out to a numerous and great nation, a
few humble Christian missionaries, whose only weap-
ons are faith and love. With these, and these alone,
they are instructed to take possession of the king-
dom in the name of their great Master.

The Jews also prided themselves upon their rigid-
ness in external purity, and in avoiding every thing
that was deemed unclean. But Christ, without ex-
citing their prejudices by directly attacking their
superstitious notions upon this point, said, " Blessed
are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." My
system requires purity, as well as the Mosaic ; but
mine must be internal, — must regulate the thoughts
and motives, must fit the soul for communion with
God. And this he endeavored to show, constituted

CHRIST PREACHIXG UPON THE MOUNT. 109

the divine life, after which every earnest spirit should
aspire. The Jews were looking for the mere shadows
of religion ; this was the reality, — the vital principle
that would unite the soul to God, and qualify it for
the society of all holy beings.

Thus the Great Teacher goes through with his
memorable discourse, every utterance containing an
important principle, every sentiment antagonistic ta
the opinions of the world, and every influence tend-
ing to elevate and spiritualize the nature of man.
In treating of the ancient law, he contends that it is
fulfilled in the law of the Christian life. And he re-
duces the whole to this simple declaration, to love
God above all things, and our neighbor as ourselves.
" On these two commandments," he says, " hang all
the law and the prophets : " that is, all the teachings
of the Old Testament are condensed into these two
commands.

Another characteristic of our LorcVs teaching ivasy
that he spoke with authority. This authority was not
only connected with his being appointed as the rep-
resentative of the Divine Majesty, but it was vested
in his own person. He taught as a divine being,,
uttering truths known to his own mind from all eter-
nity ; truths as unchangeable as the throne of God.
Philosophers who preceded him gave to the world
only opinions, the weight of which depended upon
the soundness of the arguments, or the logical train
of the reasoning upon which they were based. But
truth proceeded from Christ, as light proceeds from
its natural source, the sun. His authority he dis-
tinctly and repeatedly affirmed : " I am the light of
10

110 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

the world ; '' "I am the way, the truth, and the
life."

But we may be asked, How can we confide in the
integrity of these affirmations ? What evidences
have we that the Saviour's declarations can be im-
plicitly relied upon ? I w^ould reply, all the evidences
that the nature of the case admits of. The very doc-
trines which Christ promulgated, carry with them
internal evidence of their truth. They are as clearly
adapted to the wants of our moral natm*e, as light is
adapted to the eye, or air is suited to the lungs.
They are such truths as we should expect to receive
from a God of perfect benevolence and holiness.
The Sermon on the Mount bears the stamp of a
divine origin. Were its principles universally adopt-
ed and acted upon, it would make a heaven of this
earth. For every sentiment is luminous with heav-
enly beauty and celestial light. They constitute the
basis of the benevolence, happiness, and glory of the
angelic hosts. They aim at the annihilation of every
base passion of the soul, — envy, malice, revenge, —
of every unholy thought and carnal desire. Under
their sway, wars, oppression, injustice, and every
form of sin would be banished from the earth. An
ingenuous mind, therefore, can no more separate the
idea of divine truth from the teachings of Christ,
than we can separate the idea of beauty from a
flower, or the idea of grandeur from mountain
scenery.

Contrast this system with any other, — with the
best and most profound that human agency has
devised, and its superior excellence is at once ap-

CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. Ill

parent. Contrast it with the most rigid and appar-
ently the most sacred of formal systems, and you
cannot fail to be impressed with its divine force,
beauty, and life-giving power. In entering the gor-
geous edifice of formalism, " one's feelings," to use
the image of another, ",are very much such as might
belong to a descent into some stalactite cavern, the
grim magnificence of which is never cheered by the
life-giving beams of heaven ; for there is no noon
there — no summer. The wonders of the place must
be seen by the glare of artificial light ; human hands
carry hither and thither a blaze, which confounds
objects as much as it reveals them, and which fills
the place more with fumes than with any genial
influence. In this dim theatre, forms stand out of
more than mortal mien, as if a senate of divinities
had here assembled ; but approach them, all is hard,
cold, silent. Drops are thickly distilling from the
v^ault ; nay, every stony icicle that glistens in the light,
seems as if endued with penitence, or as if contrition
were the very temper of the place ; but do these
drops fertilize the ground on which they fall ? No ;
they do but trickle a moment, and then add stone to
stone, and chill to chill. Does the involuntary ex-
clamation break from the bosom in such a place —
Surely this is the gate of heaven I Rather one shud-
ders with the apprehension that he is entering the
shadows of the valley of death ; and that the only
safety is in a quick return to the upper world."

Now go from thence to the great temple of moral
truth which Christ has erected. As you enter, you
feel that the very atmosphere is impregnated with

112 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

the warmth of hcdveiily k)vc. The light that pours
through the gorgeous windows appears to come
directly from the eternal throne. The spirit of
deity pervades the edifice. Every column and arch
seem to lift the soul upward. The swell of the
organ, the notes of praise, touch the tenderest and
holiest sensibilities of the soul. He who ministers at
the altar, we are confident is our great High-Priest,
who is not only a teacher, but the living oracle of
moral truth. Over the altar we read the sentiment
of true devotion : " God is a Spirit, and they who
worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth."

The authority of our Great Teacher is also strength-
ened by the evidences that he furnished of his divine
nature. In fulfilling so accurately the propheciee
respecting the life, character, and deeds of the Mes-
siah, he. substantiated his claims to divinity. By the
variety and undoubted character of his miracles, he
proved, beyond all dispute, his power over the ele-
ments and laws of nature. Diseases fled before his
presence. The blind opened their eyes to gaze upon
him. The dead heard his voice and came forth. The
storms and the waves of the sea obeyed him.

His character also gave authority to his words.
His whole career was a living epistle, known and
read of all' men. Every moral precept which he
taught was illustrated in his life. His holiness was
apparent to every beholder. No taint of sin ever
touched his heart. No impure or selfish motive ever
gained access to his spirit. Like the light from
heaven, he touched the earth without being contami-
nated by its influences, moved among men without

CHRIST PREACHING UPON THE MOUNT. 113

feeling the power of their corruptions. " When he
was reviled, he reviled not again ; when he suffered,
he threatened not." His benevolence, too, was ap-
parent in every word and deed. As he stood upon
the mount, a cloud of goodness seemed to encircle
him. In the very commencement of his discourse he
poured forth a profusion of the richest blessings,
showing that it was his highest delight, as well as
his prerogative, to bless. As he advanced in his
career, this feature of his character became more and
more conspicuous. It shone forth with peculiar
brightness in his seasons of trial. As dangers thick-
ened around him ; as the storms of persecution in-
creased in violence, his love, like a deep swelling
tide, rose above them all. Even his cruel arrest, his
mock trial, and the terrors of the crucifixion, did not
move him.

Is not, then, the authority of this Great Teacher
established? Shall we not rest with unwavering
confidence upon the truths which he uttered ?

The style of Christ's teaching is also worthy of our
notice. He usually uttered his thoughts in simple,
concise, and bold sentences ; such as were adapted to
the capacities of his hearers, and might be easily
treasured up in the memory. Sometimes his words
flow on like a quiet, clear, and beautiful stream, re-
freshing the weary spirits of his auditors, and pro-
moting the growth of every Christian virtue and
grace. Sometimes he expressed himself in startling
and paradoxical utterances, in order to arrest atten-
tion, and fasten the truth upon the mind. When his
object is to expose the wickedness and hypocrisy of
10*

114 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

the Scribes and Pharisees, his words fall with a
crushing weight, and carry with them a fearful
power. With an unsparing hand he tears off their
mask of hy]H)crisy, and drags to the light their ini-
quities. Breaking through the shell of their rigid
formalities, he enables his hearers to see their true
character in all its blackness and deformity. When
depicting the scenes of the judgment-day, there is a
stately grandeur and overpowering solemnity in the
language which he employs. We almost hear the
trumpet-blast of his voice pealing through the tombs
and caverns of the deep, and wherever the myriads
of the earth's inhabitants sleep. We see in imagina-
tion the vast throngs filling the air, and gathering
around the supreme tribunal. The Judge takes his
seat. The books are opened. An awful silence
reigns over the immense multitude. As the destiny
of the different classes is gradually revealed, our
sympathies are strongly excited. We rejoice with
the righteous in their rewards, and shudder at the
terrible doom that overhangs the wicked. The words,
" depart ye cursed," carry with them an awful import.
We cannot look down into the depths of their
■meaning, without emotions of indescribable terror.
The words descriptive of the blessedness of the
righteous, carry with them the richest consolations
and most glorious hopes. The welcome that falls
upon the ear is, " Come, ye blessed of my Father, in-
herit tlie kingdom ])repared for you from the founda-
tion of the world." The single word, " Come," decides
the destiny of the redeemed soul. Its meaning
extends over the ages of immortality. It includes

CHRIST PREACHIXG LTON THE MOUNT. 115

access to the Father, an entrance into the palace of
the great King, companionship with holy angels, and
a participation in all the glories of the Saviour's reign.

The promise, too, of a " kingdom prepared for the
saints, from the foundation of the world," has depths
of glorious meaning that no finite intellect can ex-
plore, that no human eye can gaze upon. A king-
dom that has been so long in a course of preparation,
and upon which the divine power and skill have been
for ages expended, must necessarily surpass all
human comprehension.

It was also a peculiarity of Christ's teachings, to
embody impoj-tant truths in familiar, striking, and
beautiful images, drawn from nature and scenes with
which the people were familiar. His disciples were
denominated the light of the world ; the salt of the
earth ; a city set upon a hill which could not be hid.
God's care over them was enforced by a representa-
tion of the care which he exercised over the lilies
of the valley, and the grass of the field. At the
close of his Sermon on the Mount, he compares him
who heareth his sayings and doeth them, to the wise
man who built his house upon a rock. The other class
he likens to a foolish man who built his house upon
the sand, a house which could not endure the force
of the storm, — imagery which in all its details,
strikes the mind as at once beautiful and forcible.
And these images served not only to illustrate, but
also to preserve moral truths, so that they could be
handed down from age to age unimpaired. For
while language is constantly changing, and the
meaning of words varies with the progress of society,
the objects and scenes in nature remain the same.

116 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

The force of these images drawn from nature, we
can feel and appreciate as fully as those who first
listened to them.

In conclusion, ought we not to consider our per-
sonal relations to this great Teacher? We may
listen with interest to his discourses, admiring the
sublimity of his truths, the beauty of his language,
and the force of his imagery. But the question
is, do his teachings reach the heart and regulate
the life ? Do we adopt them as the foundation of
our faith, as the basis of our hopes ? If we would
enter into the hidden meaning of these principles,
and experience their blessed influence, we must obey
them. " If any man will do the will of God, he
shall know of the doctrine." Holy obedience will
make every thing clear to his vision, will clear away
the mists from his pathway, and make his course like
" the shining light that shineth brighter and brighter
unto the perfect day."

" How sweetly flowM the Gospel's sound
From lips of gentleness and grace,
"When list'ning thousands gather'd round,
And joy and reverence fiU'd the place.

" From heaven he came — of heaven he spoke,
To heaven he led his followers' way;
Dark clouds of gloomy night he broke,
Unveiling an immortal day.

" ' Come, wanderers, to my Father's home.
Come, all ye weary ones, and rest ! '
Yes ! sacred Teacher, — we will come —
Obey thcc, — love thee, and be blest!

"Decay, then, tenements of dust !
Pillars of earthly pride, decay !
A nobler mansion waits the just,
And Jesus has prepared the way."

X.

CHRIST WALiaNG ON THE SEA.

"In the fourth watch of the night, jesus went unto
THEM, WALKING ON THE SEA." — Matthew xiv. 25.

This scene, according to three of the Evangelists,
occurred immediately after the miraculous feeding
of the five thousand in the desert. That miracle
had awakened such an enthusiasm among the peo-
ple, that they desired at once to make Christ a king.
Christ knowing their designs, and wishing in the
most effectual yet quiet way to defeat them, " con-
strained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go
to the other side unto Bethsaida, while he sent away
the people." Perhaps he supposed that the multi-
tude would be more easily dispersed, if they saw his
disciples departing from him. He wished not only
to frustrate their plans of taking him by force and
making him a king, but also to lead them to reflect
upon the spiritual nature of his kingdom, and the
true ends for which he manifested his miraculous
power. They looked upon him as one eminently
fitted to be placed at the head of the nation, and to
restore to it, its ancient grandeur and glory. They

118 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

recognized in the rapid multiplication of the loaves
and fishes, a power capable of sustaining armies in a
desert, or during a protracted siege ; and they were
ready to rally under such a leader, and to march
fortli to the conquest of their enemies. But Christ
having dismissed his disciples, sent away the people,
convinced that he Avas not seeking for temporal
authority, but had some higher purpose in view.
According to his custom, as evening was approach-
ing, he retired alone to a solitary mountain for
prayer. Instead of seeking repose after the labors
of the day, he preferred to worship in these wild and
rugged temples of nature, and to prepare himself, by
spiritual communion with the Father, for the prose-
cution of his great work. While he was in the
mountain on this memorable night, the heavens be-
came overshadowed with dark and heavy clouds.
The winds were heard howling through the forests
and valleys, and a wild storm raged upon the land
and the sea. At midnight, when the tempest was at
its height, the Messiah thouglit of his disciples, and
was doubtless ollering up fervent supplications in
their behalf. According to his directions they had
embarked on board their vessel, and the wind being
contrary to the course which they were to sail, they
were exposed to its full force. The darkness of the
night, the extreme severity of the wind, the wild bil-
lows that surrounded them and threatened every
moment to engulf them, filled their minds with ter-
ror. Besides, the consciousness that their Lord was
absent, added to the fearful gloom of the night. If
he was only present, as on a former occasion, to still

CHRIST WALKING ON THE SEA. 119

this tempest, and calm the tempestuous waves, their
fears would all be dissipated. But he is away upon
a distant mountain, perhaps they think, not knowing
their peril ; for their views of his attributes and pow-
ers were yet very imperfect.

The perilous situation of these disciples^ the man-
ner in ivhich they were relieved^ and the trial of
Peter's faith ^ are points that have not simply a local
and temporary interest. Like most of the scenes
and events in the history of our Lord, they are of
universal interest, and are applicable to his followers
in all nations and ages of the world. As the same
sun that shone upon the pathways of the earliest
generations, is equally adapted to our organs of
vision, and its light hailed with as much joy as
though it was newly created for our benefit, so the
same Sun of righteousness that illumined the minds
of the apostles and primitive Christians, shines with
its resplendent beams upon us ; and is as perfectly
adapted to our moral necessities as though the
Saviour should again appear upon the earth. We
need not a newly created physical universe, in order
to be impressed with the infinite and glorious attri-
butes of the Deity. The same world with its beau-
tiful decorations, its mighty forces, its miraculous
changes, with the rolling seasons, its oceans, lakes,
mountains, and valleys; the same stars with their
soft and persuasive eloquence, — their wonderfully
suggestive yet mysterious influence ; the vast soli-
tudes in which they repose, serve us as well as they
did our most remote ancestry. Indeed their anti-
quity adds greatly to their power. They come to us

120 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

with an influence which has been accumulating for
ages. We are glad to look upon the same sun upon
which all eyes have gazed, — to be watched over by
the same stars that have looked down upon all the
changes in the world's history, — to tread upon the
same globe, on which are left the footprints of patri-
archs, prophets, apostles, and the noble army of mar-
tyrs. We are glad to breathe the same atmosphere
in which holy men of old moved, and which has
been vocal with the songs of poets, the eloquence of
ancient orators, and the praises of the devout in all
languages and all ages.

Tlie eighteen hundred years that have rolled over
Christianity and over the scenes in the life of its
divine author, add, in our view, to their moral force.
Each century having made its contributions to the
evidences in favor of this divine religion, we inherit
the whole stock of proof, just as the young astrono-
mer, in entering upon his noble science, becomes heir
to all the discoveries and progress that have been
made by the most gifted minds in this department
of human knowledge. In following, too, Christ, we
follow in the track of a great multitude of the best,
noblest, holiest men that have ever lived upon the
earth. We feel the power of their example, the elec-
tric influence of their zeal and love. And we are
content with the spiritual presence of our Master,
without his immediate personal advent to our earth.
We are content with the fulfilment of his promise :
" Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of
the world."

But we hasten to apply these general principles to
the case before us.

WALKING ON THE SEA.. 121

The disciples were out upon the sea, exposed
to the dangers of a fearful storm. Only the day be-
fore they were with the Lord of glory, witnessing
one of the most remarkable miracles which had been
wrought. Then admiration was excited by so won-
derful a display of divine power. They rejoiced that
so many thousands of persons were permitted to wit-
ness it, and to receive the moral impressions which
it was calculated to produce. They felt that the
cause which they had espoused was rising; and that
in following such a IVIaster they had nothing to fear..
Their confidence was established that before them
there was a career of honor and glory unsurpassed in
the history of mankind. But the very night after
this scene, they were tossed upon the waves of a tem-
pestuous sea, and struggling in vain with their oars
to reach the land. So great was their danger, that
they knew not but that each succeeding wave that
swept by, would engulf them. To such sudden
changes in one's circumstances and prospects, we
are all liable. To-day, all may be bright, hopeful,,
and prosperous. We may stand upon the firm earth,.
and look out upon a serene sky, upon smiKng verdure,
and the beauties that the sunshine has awakened
around us. We may be surrounded by kind friends,,
by the refinements and pleasures of social inter-
course, and by the choicest spiritual blessings. To-
morrow, we may be cut off from these privileges and
enjoyments. We may be out upon the dark ocean of
affliction, encompassed by the waves of sorrow, feel-
ing that our frail bark may at any instant be shat-
tered. The Saviour, in whom we have trusted, may
11

122 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

seem to be far away in some distant mountain that
we cannot reach. But recently we liad communion
with him, felt the strengthening influence of his pres-
ence, and were filled with admiration in contem-
plating the views granted to us of his divine power
and majesty. Now clouds and darkness encircle
him. We hear not his voice, see not the brightness of
his countenance, feel not the warm breath of his love.

Go through even Christendom, and what mul-
titudes will you find struggling with some of the
various forms of sorrow. How many feel that they
are strangers and pilgrims upon the earth, their path-
ways lying through gloomy deserts, over burning
sands, and amid hardships that at times seem too
severe for human endurance. They have literally no
abiding city here. They seem to have been cast
upon this bleak and desolate creation to be buffeted
by its storms, and to have their souls tried by its
keenest sorrows. Some honest and devout hearts
feel the pressure of the ills of poverty; no slight
pressure, though it is so common. Death is common,
but none the less a terrible messenger for this.

Others are strangers to health, scarcely knowing
what it is to be free from bodily pains and infirmities.
Weeks, months, and years roll on, bringing with
them no relief.

With others, the fountains of sorrow are kept
almost perpetually open, by the loss of near and dear
friends. One after another they are snatched away.
Billow follows billow in rapid succession, sweeping
away the objects to which the warmest earthly affec-
tions are fastened. So great are oftentimes the trials

WALKING ON THE SEA. 123

of life, that one is forced to ask, Is this the end of
our being, to be tossed upon the waves of sorrow,
and to be the victims of the storms that rage around
us ? Is there no power that can lift from the soul its
heavy burdens, and afford consolation to the tried
and bereaved spirit. The answer to these inqumes
may be found in the relief that came to the disciples
while in the height of the perils of their voyage.
They supposed that their Saviour was far away, and
at the fourth watch of the night, which was about
three o'clock in the morning, while they were toiling
at their oars, they had not the slightest reason to
expect any aid from him. But suddenly, as they
looked out upon the wild waste of waters, they
descried a form moving upon the surface of the sea.
Supposing that it was a spirit or an apparition, they
were exceedingly terrified, and cried out for fear.
Their minds being in an anxious and excited state,
and their bodies being exhausted by fatigue and
exposure, such a scene was calculated to fill them
with terror. But soon a voice comes to them over
the waves : " Be of good cheer, it is I." That voice
they immediately recognized, and their fears were
dissipated. With a joy that can be more easily
imagined than described, they welcomed Christ to the
ship, knowing that his presence would be an ample
protection from all danger. At the very moment
that they supposed he was far distant from them, he
was at the side of their vessel. Perhaps he had been
near them the whole night, and had been watching
over them, and guarding them from the perils of the
deep. Perhaps he refrained from making himself

124 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

known until this late hour of the night, in order to
more deeply impress them with a sense of his divme
power and goodness.

Now we have the fullest evidence to believe that
Christ is near to every disciple, and that he is spe-
cially near to those who are in cu'cumstances of
anxiety, distress, or danger. When the waters of
affliction threaten to overwhelm his friends, he is
walking upon the sea, ready to calm the angry
sm-ges, and to deliver those who love him, out of all
their afflictions. And his simple presence is suffi-
cient to insure this. The disciples, when they recog-
nized him upon the waves, did not call out to him to
save them ; did not, if we may judge from the nar-
rative given, beseech him to quell the fury of the
storm ; but they knew that if he was near, they were
safe. Had this been his first miracle, they might
have had less confidence in him. But only the day
before they had gazed upon the wonderful spectacle
of the feeding of five thousand men, besides women
and children (who probably swelled the multitude to
double this number), with food, that at first consisted
of but five barley loaves and two small fishes. Hav-
ing seen that immense crowd, while seated upon the
extended plain and surrounding hills, fed by Christ,
who, at the outset, invoked the divine blessing upon
the few small loaves and fishes that were placed
before him, they could no longer doubt, that " all
power w^as given unto him." And all that he deemed
it necessary to say to them was : " Be of good cheer,
it is I." " You have only to know who it is, to be
certain of peace and safety. My presence is mightier

WALIvIXG ON THE SEA. 125

than the storm. Although it is night, the morning
of your hopes has dawned upon you. Although the
billows rage, yet I hold them in check, and tread
them beneath my feet. Although your frail bark is
tossed to and fro, I have only to enter it, and it wiU
float in calm waters, and be speedily borne to your
destined haven."

And in the precious promises that Jesus makes
to all his followers, he deems it sufficient just to
assure them of his presence : " Lo, I am with you
always ; " "I will not leave you comfortless, I will
come to you;" "Where two or three are gathered
together in my name, there am I in the midst of
them." And another most tender and affectionate
invitation : " Behold, I stand at the door^ and knock.
If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I wiU
come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me."
These and other similar utterances all express the
idea of simple presence. And in the last passage
quoted, this thought is brought to view with pecu-
liar delicacy and beauty. The Saviour will make
the effort himself to come to us, as he did to the dis-
ciples on the sea. He will stand at the door and
knock. He will not intrude himself upon the inmates.
He will not force an entrance. He will not even open
the door. That must be done by those within. If
they hear his voice, and recognize its tones of com-
passion and love, and open the door to him, he will
come in and sup with them. He will not violate any
of the rules of courtesy or hospitality. But if there
is any prospect of his being admitted, he will stand
at the door until his locks are wet with the dews of
11*

126 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

the morning. Yes, he will stand there through the
whole night, thus cheerfully sacrificing his own ease
and comfort.

It is interesting to observe how many of Christ's
^benevolent deeds were performed in the night time.
By night he had the remarkable interview with Nico-
demus, and unfolded to him the necessity of Redemp-
tion, and the whole scheme of the Atonement. Be-
fore selecting his twelve apostles, St. Luke tells us
that "he went into a mountain to pray, and con-
tinued all night in prayer to God." And frequently
was this the season for his most earnest supplica-
tions.

" Cold mountains and the midnight air
"Witnessed the fen-or of his prayer."

At night he permitted himself to be arrested, and
to be carried through the preparatory stages for his
crucifixion. In the fourth watch of the night he
walked upon the sea. In the night he conquered
<]eath and hell, and rose from the dead. But he has
now passed into those glorious regions where there
is no more night — where no shadows fall upon his
pathway — no cold mountains rear their barren and
gloomy summits — no dark waters roll, no storms
arise — no death chills are experienced.

Yet he is still here, present with every devout and
believing spirit. You may not see him with the
natural eye, for darkness may surround you. You
may not hear his voice above the howl of the storm,
but his being invisible is surely no proof of his
absence. The mightiest forces in nature, of which

WALKIXG ON THE SEA. 127

we have any knowledge, are invisible. "What is more
hidden from the view than the law of gravitation,
and yet who does not know that it is the great
power that holds worlds in their orbits and systems
in their places ; and is, I may say, the spirit that per-
vades the material universe, giving regularity and
beauty to these floating orbs around us. The prin-
ciple of vegetation is invisible ; but who will say
that it is, on this account, any the less present and
potent. Does it not annually clothe the earth with
the richest verdure, with beauties that infinitely sur-
pass the skill of the most gifted artist ; with flowers,
the minute inspection and analysis of which excites
the most glowing admiration ; with fruits and pro-
ductions, upon which all conscious life is dependent
for its continuance ?

You may stand upon a lofty eminence, and view
the effects of a wild tempest. You may see the
heavy clouds flying rapidly over your head. You
may see the forests bending and crushed beneath the
blast, — the mighty oaks torn up by the roots, —
houses demolished, and their fragments filling the
air, and yet you see not the force that is working this
ruin. The agent is as invisible as the air in a calm
summer's day.

In looking over Christendom, you behold numer-
ous Christian churches, great assemblies gathered for
worship, large companies of children listening to the
instructions of faithful teachers, and many engaged
in carrying from house to house the bread of life and
the consolations of religion. You behold a large
number of the afflicted supported under their trials,

128 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

and submissive to the divine will. You may enter
many sick chambers, and see a cheerful serenity rest-
ing upon the wasted countenances of the dying, and
hedr from lips soon to be forever closed, the dec-
laration, " Though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil."

iS'ow what has wrought all this ? We answer. The
presence of Jesus. As on the morning of the crea-
tion the spirit moved upon the face of the waters,
and brought order and beauty out of chaos, so the
spirit of Jesus has moved upon the moral world,
purifying and elevating the nature of man, restoring
to the soul the lost image of its Maker, carrying com-
fort to the afflicted, hope to the despairing, and sal-
vation to the penitent and believing. And Christ
would say to all his disciples, in every age : " Be of
good cheer." Though himself a man of sorrows and
acquainted with grief, yet the great object of his life
was to promote human happiness. In his intercourse
with his friends, this end is ever conspicuous. While
pronouncing his farewell discourse to his disciples,
he said : " Let not your heart be troubled. Ye
believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's
house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would
have told you." If there was any doubt concerning
this fact, if there was any occasion for their being
troubled, he would have told them. He came not to
deceive mankind, not to encourage in them hopes
that would never be realized. He came to bring life
and immortality to light, to reveal the will and love of
the Father, to throw open the gates of the everlasting
city, and to invite aU who would repent and believe,

WALKING ON THE SEA. 129

to enter in. A higher mission cannot be conceived.
A more glorious service could not be rendered to the
human family.

There is, however, another incident in this scene
which illustrates the part that we are to perform to
secure the aid of the Saviour. When the disciples
in the ship, or boat, were assured that it was their
Lord who was approaching them, Peter, with his
usual promptness, mingled perhaps with rashness, or
at least with an undue degree of self-confidence,
said : " Lord, if it be thou, bid me come to thee on
the water." Perhaps Peter desired to make a display
of his courage before the other disciples, or he might
have wished to be the first to welcome Jesus. The
simple reply that Christ made was, " Come." He
was willing to give him an opportunity to test his
confidence and faith. At once Peter left the ship,
and at first he walked safely upon the water towards
his Master. " But when he saw the wind boisterous,
he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried, say-
ing. Lord, save me." " And immediately Jesus
stretched forth his hand and caught him, and said
unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou
doubt." While Peter kept his eye fixed upon Christ,
he walked firmly and safely. But when he looked
down upon the dark and tumultuous waves, he
began to sink. His courage failed him, and had not
Christ extended his arm to rescue him, he must have
perished. What an important lesson are we taught
by this event ! Our safety, our faith, our hopes, all
depend upon fixing our eyes and our affections upon
Christ. If we dwell upon the trials and sorrows of

130 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

life, or trust to our own strength, we shall fail. With
a firm step, with unfaltering confidence, we must
look upward to the Saviour. The apostle exhorts
us " to lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth
so easily beset us, and to run with patience the race
set before us, looking unto Jesus.'"

XI.

THE TRANSFIGURATION.

" Jesus taketh peter, james, and john his brother, and
bringeth them up into an high biountain apart, and
was transfigured before them : and his face did shine
as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light,
and behold, there appeared unto them moses and elias

TALKING WITH HIM." — MattllCW Xvii. 1-3.

It may seem to be presumption to attempt to
analyze and portray the various features of this won-
derful scene. Its glories are too dazzling for mortal
gaze. Its mysteries are too deep to be penetrated
by the human mind. Although the Evangelists have
described the scene with vividness, yet probably no
one has attained to a just conception of it, except
the three favored ,apostles who witnessed its splen-
dors. We may call to our aid the criticisms of the
wise and learned, who have endeavored to unfold its
import ; we may exercise to the greatest possible ex-
tent the powers of the imagination, and yet fall far
short of the reality. Like all other supernatural
manifestations, it lies beyond the province of human

132 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

thought. Yet there are points and lessons in the
scene that are full of in.struction.

\ye observe that Christ saw fit to make this
remarkable display of his glories to a few select
and tried friends, rather than to a large and pro-
miscuous assembly. On no occasion did he man-
ifest a disposition to gratify the curiosity of the mul-
titude, who were ever ready to flock around him.
He chose rather to make the most signal mani-
festations of his power and glory in the presence
of those who were prepared to receive from them
the greatest spiritual benefit. Even in his public
teachings, he did not always explain the import of
his parables to the assembly; but reserved this for
the few who tarried after the crowd had dispersed,
and desired to be more fully enlightened in regard to
the truths of religion. Had it been publicly an-
nounced that Christ would appear in his divine
glory, and receive a visit from Moses and Elijah,
thousands would have flocked to the scene, prompted
simply by an idle curiosity, while others would have
gone to cavil, or to ridicule. After performing some
of his most striking miracles, it became necessary
for the Saviour to make his escape from those whose
malice and hatred were only increased, by every new
manifestation of his goodness and power. These
enemies, true to the instincts of the depraved heart,
had thcijr zeal against Christ quickened in proportion
to his eflbrts to benefit them. Hence he did not care
to cast pearls before swine. He preferred to be sur-
rounded by a few honest inquirers after truth, and
make his brightest revelations in their preseiice.

THE TRANSFIGURATIOX.. ' 133

On the occasion of his transfiguration, in order to
be as private and tindisturbed as possible, he took
his companions to the summit of a high and distant
mountain. Which mountain was selected, it is diffi-
cult for us to determine. Some writers assert that it
was Mount Tabor ; but there are good reasons for
supposing that this opinion is not wellgi'ounded. It
is not material, however, to be able to designate the
precise spot upon which the transfiguration took
place. We know that the Saviour in his seasons of
religious meditation and prayer, or when about to
make . some signal manifestation of his miraculous
power or divine glory, sought a retreat upon one of
the mountains of Judea. Besides the retirement
which they afforded, he was doubtless attracted by
the beauty and grandeur of the scenery that sur-
rounded them ; by the remembrance of the wonder-
ful events in the history of God's dealings with his
chosen people, which they commemorate ; and by
the fact that upon their summits he seemed to stand
nearer to the eternal throne. He recognized in every
mountain a temple consecrated to the service of Je-
hovah ; and while in his solitary retreat, engaged in.
meditation or prayer, he might hear the mountains
breaking forth into singing, and the trees of the field
clapping their hands. When he preached his great
and memorable sermon, " he went up into a moun-
tain," and as the multitude listened to his sacred
truths, uttered with divine eloquence and power, they
might well have exclaimed, " How beautiful upon
the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good
tidings, that publisheth peace."
12

134 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

From the .details given of the transfiguration by
the Evangelists, we infer that the scene took place
at night. We have ahready remarked that Christ
often chose this season for holy meditation and com-
mnnion with the Father. When all was hushed
in the streets of Jerusalem, and his enemies were
sleeping, and the stars were out, heavenly sentinels
watching over the innocent and faithful, the echo
of his footsteps might be heard as he passed along
towards the gates of the city, and sought, alone, his
mountain retreats. Under the pale moonlight, his
dim form might be seen as he moved over the hills
and plains.

Imagine, then, the Saviour with his three disciples,
struggling up a distant and rugged mountain, under
the shelter of the darkness. Gradually they rise higher
and higher, leaving the world and its vanities behind
them. The lights of the distant city and villages grow
dim, and at last fade away. No sound is heard save
the murmuring of the mountain brooks, and the
sighing of the winds through the vast forests. They
reach the summit, and Christ is about to fulfil the
promise made a few days previous, that there were
some before him who should '• not taste of death, till
they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom," or
glory. We may presume that he gave to his disci-
ples instructions suited to prepare their minds for the
wonderful scenes that were to pass before them.
From that lofty mountain fervent prayers ascended
to the God of heaven, that he would be present with
the displays of his power.

Suddenly the disciples were startled by a flood of

THE TRAXSFIGURATIOX. 135

light that burst upon the mountain, and filled them
with amazement and terror. They turned towards
their master, and perceived that his countenance,
form, and whole appearance were undergoing the
most wonderful changes. The despised Nazarene
was emphatically becoming the Lord of glory. He
who was without comeliness or beauty, — who was
despised and rejected of men, — whose poverty was
such that he had not where to lay his head, now ap-
pears clothed in splendors too dazzling for mortal
vision. His countenance shines with a brilliancy
that surpasses the sun. His robes are of snowy
whitness, and pure and resplendent as the light. A
celestial glory envelops his whole person, — a glory
such as he had with the Father before the world was.

And what was equally remarkable, behold there
appeared to them at the same time, two mysterious
and resplendent beings, Moses and Elijah. They
conversed in an audible voice with Jesus concerning
" his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusa-
lem." For the trials and anguish of that awful hour
they labored to prepare and comfort him. The con-
flict, though severe, they assured him would be
attended with the most glorious results.

While the disciples were absorbed by this scene, a
bright cloud floated down and spread upon the moun-
tain, overshadowing the whole group. And amid
flashes of lightning and the roar of thunder, a voice
was heard, saying, " This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased ; hear ye him." So terrible
was the sound, that the disciples fell prostrate upon
the earth. Jesus, knowing their confusion and ter-

136 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

ror, came and touched them, sayhig, " Rise up and
be not afraid." On recovering from their fear, and
looking about them, they observed that the heavenly-
visitants had departed, and that Jesus was alone
with them.

In this peculiar and supernatural display of divine
power there were, obviously, several important de-
signs.

In the first place, in the voice that proceeded from
the cloud, ^ce have an una nstcer able attestation to the
divinity of the Messiah. As though the purity of his
life, and the displays of his miraculous power were
not enougli, we have this direct proof from heaven,
that he was the Son of God in whom the Father
was well pleased. This testimony was peculiarly
appropriate to that period, because erelong the
events that would happen to the Saviour, would
seriously try the faith of his disciples. They would
behold him apparently in the power of his foes.
They would see him hurried away by violence ; in-
sulted, scourged, and treated as a malefactor. They
would hear the sentence of condemnation pro-
nounced against him, and from the cross they would
hear his agonizing cry, " My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me." And without the most conclu-
sive evidences of his Messiahship and divinity, they
would altogether lose their faith, and abandon his
cause. As the sequel showed, these adverse events
shook their confidence in their master; but remem-
bering his miracles, teachings, and the supernatural
displays of his calory, their faith rallied, and after his
ascension their heroism and devotion were such as

THE TRANSFIGURATION. 137

could not be surpassed. If they were weak and
vascillating in the early part of then* career, their
subsequent boldness and energy entitle them to the
highest praise.

This announcement from the cloud, though made
to the three favored ones, was vu-tually made through
them, to all mankind. They stood upon that mount
as the representatives of the whole human family.
As Moses represented the children of Israel upon
Mount Sinai, and Abraham represented all the faith-
fjLil upon Mount Moriah, and Elijah stood in the
place of the believers in the true God upon Mount
Carmel, so Peter and his associates represented all
for whom Christ came to make an atonement.
Whatever was evidence to them of the truth of
Christ's doctrines, or the divinity of his person, was
evidence to us. There was not a single circumstance
in the scenes of the transfiguration, of interest to
them, that was not of equal interest to every inhabi-
tant upon the globe. And the Apostle Peter in his
second general epistle, when exhorting the friends of
Christ to the faithful discharge of their duties, says,
" For we have not followed cunningly devised fables,
when we made known unto you the power and com-
ing of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses
of his majesty. For he received from God the
Father honor and glory, when there came such a
voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my
beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this
voice we heard when we were with him in the holy
mount." Now, if we can confide in Peter as a true
witness, we must admit his testimony. "We must

12*

138 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

believe these words as fully and sincerely as he be-
Jieved them. And in the mouth of three such wit-
nesses as were admitted to the glories of the trans-
figuration, the great doctrine of the Saviour's divinity
should be firmly established.

Another design of this dazzling and sublime man-
ifestation was, to confirm the faith of believers in a
future state of existence.

If INIoses and Elijah actually appeared, (and to
doubt this portion of the narrative, is to doubt the
truth of the whole,) then we can ask for no more
satisfactory proof, than is herein contained of the
doctrine of a future state. Here are two distin-
guished personages, one of whom lived upon the
earth fifteen hundred years before, and the other nine
Jiundred years, who appeared in their celestial bodies
to Christ and his three disciples. Their resplendent
forms illumined the whole mountain. They conversed
•with Jesus in a language that was understood by his
disciples. Their appearance and conversation afforded
so much delight that Peter exclaimed, " Lord, it is
good for us to be here ; let us make three taberna-
cles, one for thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias."
He desired to retain the illustrious beings upon the
earth, that he might continue to enjoy their society,
and listen to their words of wisdom and love. His
<jompanions were so filled with awe and astonishment,
that they did not give utterance to their feelings.
But seeing before them beings directly from the
spirit world, and especially those with whose names,
history, and achievements they were so familiar, they
were thoroughly convinced of the reality and blessed-

I

THE TRAXSFIGURATION. 139

ness of the heavenly state. Had they entertained
doubts respecting the doctrine of a future state, they
must have been by this scene forever banished from
their minds. Henceforth all was clear and bright to
the eye of faith. They could say confidently with
the Psalmist, "In thy presence there is fulness of
joy ; at thy right hand there are pleasures forever-
more." They had every stimulus to press forward
with new zeal toward the mark for the prize of their
high calling. And the church universal should hail
with gratitude and rapture, this fresh proof in favor
of a future life. For notwithstanding all the light
that has been thrown upon this subject, and all the
arguments that have been adduced in its favor, it is
agitated still in thousands of minds. Different cur-
rents of thought rush through the heart, some bear-
ing us towards the regions of light and hope, and
others sweeping the soiil towards the verge of de-
spair. When we stand upon the mount of faith, we
may see in the far distance the Elysian fields, — the
shining palaces and temples, — the myriads of bright
and holy beings crowding in and out of the gates of
the everlasting city, thronging around the eternal
throne, and flying through the heavens upon mis-
sions of mercy and love. In such an hour the spirit,
longs to depart, that it may be with Jesus. But
when we are in the valley of despondency, moving
among the tombs of the dead, and think of the cold-
ness and deep silence of the grave, — of the millions
whose forms have mingled with their kindred dust, —
of the thick vail that hides the future from our sight,
we are tempted to look upon death as an eternal
sleep.

140 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

" The gniAC, dread thing !
Men sliivcr when tliou'rt named. Nature appall'd
Shakes off her wonted firmness. Oh I how dark
Thy long extended reahns, and rueful wastes,
"Where nought but silenec reigns, and night, dark night."

To onal)le lis, then, to outer the dark valley with a
firm step, and to say, " I will fear no evil," we need
the support of every argument that reason, or anal-
ogy, or the Scriptures can furnish. We need to stand
by the side of Christ at the grave of Lazarus, and
see the dead come forth. "We need to study and
meditate upon the words: "I am the resurrection
and the life ; he that believeth in me shall never die."
We need to visit the Saviour's tomb, and hear from
angel lips the declaration : " He is risen ; behold the
place where they laid him." We need to stand upon
the summit of the holy mount with the apostles, and
behold JNIoses and Elijah, in their resplendent forms,
conversing with Jesus. Then we may fully believe
that this corruption will put on incorruption, and this
mortal be clothed with immortality.

Another feature in this scene is the representation
that it furni.shes of the different epochs in the history
of the churchy and of the cooperation of the glorified
saints in the work of man^s redemption. Moses ap-
pears to represent the law, Elijah to represent proph-
ecy, and Christ stands as the representative of a new,
more spiritual and glorious dispensation. We have
brought before us, in a single group, the divine gov-
ernment, in its majesty and authority, the rich prom-
ises made to the world of heavenly blessings, and
the fulfilment of prophecy. Besides, in the persons

THE TRAXSFIGURATIOX. 141

of the apostles we have represented the agencies by
which the gospel is to be published to the world.
One is to be constituted the rock of the church,
against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. The
others are to bear their testimony to the truth of the
gospel ; a testimony that will one day be acknowl-
edged by all tribes, nations, and kingdoms of the
earth. Thus the past and the future, — heaven and
earth, — the church triumphant and the church mili-
tant, all meet through their representatives upon the
top of that glorious mount. One is signally distin-
guished from the others, not only by his splendid ap-
pearance, but by the supernatural announcement
from the cloud: " This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased." Though mingling with proph-
ets and glorified saints, he is not to be confounded
with them, nor his nature and glorious character to
be overlooked.

How delightful to contemplate them as all co-
operating in the great work of man's redemption!
" The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ." The law and prophecy were
both necessary to prepare the way for the reception
of the gospel; — the one to aid in bringing mankind
into subjection to its requisitions, and the other, to
confirm its authority, and support its divine origin, by
arguments that could not be overthrown.

We may reasonably believe that God had some
special design in the selection that was made of those
who should confer with Christ at the time of his
transfiguration, and appear to the apostles. For
there were no two names that had more influence

143 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

over the Jews than Moses and Elijah, or as he is
called in the New Testament, Elias. To the former
Christ constantly referred in his teachings. He quot-
ed his laws, and made the people understand that
if tliey would not hear Moses and the prophets,
neither would they be persuaded though one rose
from the dead. On one occasion he said, " For had
ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me : for
he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his v/ritings,
how shall ye believe my words ? " Reference was
also frequently made by the Jews to Elias, and the
question was put to the Saviour, "Art thou Elias?"
When Christ was upon the cross, his persecutors
thought that he called for Elias. There was, there-
fore, a peculiar significancy in the appearance of
these illustrious saints upon the mount of transfig-
uration. They confirmed, beyond all dispute, the
claims and teachings of the Saviour. The whole
scene proved the unity of the religion of the different
portions of the Holy Scriptures; proved that there
was one great purpose of mercy running through all
the revelations that had been received from the
eternal throne in the different ages of the world, — a
purpose that commenced with the promise made to
Adam, — that was unfolded in the Mosaic dispensa-
tion,— seen, and acknowledged by the prophets, and
fulfilled in the redemj)tion wrought out by the Son
of God. And in viewing these great truths that
oprn from this scene, the mount of transfiguration
appears clothed with new splendor. In the light that
surrounds it, there is a spiritual import. It is the
radiance of divine truth. It is glory emanating from

THE TRANSFIGUKATION. 143

the infinite and eternal mind, — from the great I Am,
who is, and was, and ever will be, the unchangeable
and almighty Jehovah. We do not wonder that
Peter exclaimed, " It is good for us to be here." And
may we not ask, if the delight afforded by the pres-
ence of two heavenly visitants was so intense, what
must be the rapture and glory of mingling with the
myriads of holy and celestial beings who crowd
God's vast dominions. " Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love
him."

XII.

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN.

"Jesus said, suffer little children, axd forbid them
kot, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of
HEAVEN." — St. Matthew xix. 14..

" Heaven lies about us in our infancy,"

Wordsworth.

" "What shall preserve thee, beautiful child ? —

Keep thee as thou art now ? —
Bring thee a spirit undefiled.

At God's pure thrcnc to bow 1
The world is but a broken reed.

And life grows early dim : —
"Who shall be near thee in thy need

To lead thee up to Him?
He who himself was * undefiled/
With him we trust thee, beautiful child."

Willis.

There is scarcely a scene in the history of Jesus,
more touching and significant than that presented by
his interview with little children. The fame of his
great kindness and benevolence had gone forth, and
excited a deep interest among the inhabitants of the
country bordering upon the Jordan. Not only were
the sickj blind, and lame brought to him, but moth-

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREX. 145

ers were seen in the crowd pressing forward towards
the Saviour, with their infants and children, anxious
that they might receive a blessing. Such was their
confidence in the power and goodness of Christ, that
they knew, if they could but get near enough to
him, that virtue would go forth from him to their
children, and the little ones would experience through
their whole lives, the rich benefits of his divine
blessing. The disciples observing the eagerness of
these parents to approach Christ and attract his at-
tention, rebuked them ; deeming it an intrusion upon
so great a prophet to trouble him with their wants,
or even presence of children. They felt that one
who possessed such powers as Christ had displayed,
and who had come to fulfil so important and sub-
lime a work, could not condescend to notice mere
children. But when Christ perceived what his disci-
ples were doing, he was greatly displeased, and at
once said, " Suffer the little children to come unto
me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom
of heaven." Although he had much to absorb his
time and engage his energies, — although he had
come to accomplish the great work of redeeming a
lost world, — although he was entitled to divine
honors, and possessed infinite attributes, yet he was
not willing to overlook the interests of the smallest
and feeblest child. He had himself been a child, and
had experienced the wants, desires, and anxieties
of children. Indeed, by passing through the differ-
ent stages of existence on earth, he was prepared to
sympathize with all ages, as well as all classes. By
being an infant, he sanctified infancy, and sent forth
13

146 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

an influence that touched and blessed all of this ten-
der age. As a holy child, he set an example to all
children, inviting them by his conduct, as well as his
words, to follow in his footsteps. As a man, he gave
importance and dignity to the whole race. Thus he
fultilled his mission to all, and showed his tender re-
gard for those of every age.

But there is a profound si^nificancy in this invita-
tion, that we shall do well to consider.

This act of Christ, simple as it appears, introduced
a new era into the world's history. Previous to the
advent of the Saviour but little attention had been
bestowed upon the intellectual culture or moral wel-
fare of children. As a class they had been either
neglected or exposed to the most debasing influences.
Paganism taught that it was a virtue for the mother
to sacrifice her offsj)ring to idols, cast her child into
the Ganges, or leave it exposed to the fury of wild
beasts. Even among civilized nations, the rights of
cliildren were but little respected. It was a custom
with the ancient Romans at the birth of a child, for
the father to decide whether it should be reared, or
be left in the street, and abandoned to its fate. In
the decision that was made, the mother could take
no part. Besides the power that the father had over
the life of his children, he could three times sell his
son, and three times reclaim him, and appropriate to
himself all his child's gains. Under the emperors,
however, the power of the father was somewhat
reduced, and the condition of children was slightly
improved. Among the Spartans, the celebrated Ly-
curgus, who was recalled to the head of the govern-

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 147

ment for the purpose of reforming the state, required
that only the vigorous and well-formed children
should be preserved, while others should be at once
exposed in the wilds of JNIount Taygetus. The slight
value that was put upon the lives of children by
wicked princes in the time of our Saviour, is shown
in the decree issued by Herod, requiring the indis-
criminate slaughter of " all the children that were in
Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two
years old and under." In the wars, too, of that
period, children shared the fate of the conquered
army. Neither their innocence, weakness, or claims
upon sympathy and justice, afforded them any pro-
tection against the relentless foe.

But the Divine Teacher appears and establishes a
new doctrine respecting children, a doctrine that
bears the impress of his divine benevolence and infi-
nite compassion. Beholding the mothers pressing
towards him, he extends an invitation, twice repeated,
in order to give to it the greater intensity : " Suffer
little childi'cn to come unto me, and forbid them not."
As though he had said : " Do not, on any account,
prevent the little children from coming to me and
receiving my blessing. For it is a part of my mission
to do good to these little ones. I have come from
heaven to be the child's teacher, the child's Saviour,
— the child's guide to happiness and glory. I was
once myself a child, and experience has prepared me
to sympathize with this class in all their trials and
interests. Nor can we fail to observe, that the recog-
nition of the rights and the power of children is a dis-
tinctive feature of the Christian dispensation. In

148 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

exact proportion to the power of the gospel over any
community, we find the interests of children pro-
tected, and their moral culture promoted. Systems
of education are framed and established. Family
religion is instituted. The infant child is solemnly
consecrated to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
He is early taught to lisp the name of Jesus. His
young heart is thrilled with the story of the babe in
Bethlehem, the flight into Egypt, the cruelty of
Herod, and the exciting incidents connected with the
life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

Sabbath schools are formed to perpetuate the Sav-
iour's kind invitation to children. They constitute
so many gateways leading towards the celestial city,
where Christ now sitteth at the right hand of God.
They serve to perpetuate the memory of Christ's love
for children, as the celebration of the last supper per-
petuates the memory of his sufferings and death.
These Sabbath schools may be regarded also as evi-
dences of the divine origin of the Christian system ;
for none but a heaven-born system could create such
an institution. No other could prompt to such
benevolent effort, self-denial, and zeal, as are often
manifested by those who are engaged in teaching
the young, and bringing back wandering children to
their father's house. Nor is there a more interesting
spectacle on earth than a large and prosperous Sab-
bath school, with officers and teachers imbued with
tlie s|)irit of Clirist, and the pupils eager for the
treasures of divine knowledge. As an exhibition of
the voluntary system, — of the outgoings of benevo-
lent effort, without the expectation of reward here, it

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 149

is one of the most beautiful that could be presented.
Literally, the gospel is furnished here without money
and without price. Literally, the invitation is given,
Whosoever will, let him come and partake of the
waters of life freely. In such a school, impressions
are every Sabbath made that will endure long after
the pjrramids have crumbled, and the stars have faded
from the heavens. Through the destitute children
gathered here, streams of influence go forth and reach
multitudes of families. Many a child has been a
missionary to the family of which he was a member.
IMany a one has carried the riches of salvation to
his home, and been a preacher of righteousness to
parents, brothers, and sisters.

The Saviour, also, by taking little children in his
arms and blessing them, recognized the importance
of early religious culture as a force by which to
advance his kingdom. He knew that if he gained
the children, his cause was safe, and that he would
gain the world. He knew that if his doctrines were
desposited, as seed, in the mind of a child, they
would grow with his growth and strengthen with his
strength. And the opinion is rapidly gaining ground,
as the light of Christianity increases and extends,
that all the great interests of society, the progress of
civilization, liberty, and humanity, and the spiritual
hopes of the world, are involved in the early training
of children. If we desire any important truth or
cause to triumph, let it be planted in youthful minds,
and become entwined around the sympathies of the
heart, and flow in the channels of early thought, and
it will gather a force that can be obtained in no other
13*

150 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

way. It will become a part of the very existence of
the generation with which it is thus connected. It
will give form and character to the institutions of
.society, civil, social, and religious, as far as the influ-
ence of its advocates extends.

It is specially true of all religious systems, whether
founded in error or truth, that their chief force lies in
early culture. Such is the strength of the religious
affections, — so much is man a religious being, w^ith
all his irreligion, that even a superstitious and grossly
erroneous system will retain its power and wield a
mighty influence, if it has the advantage of an
early culture. Let one enter a Pagan country, and,
after surveying the degradation and ignorance of
the people, their cruel rites, their deceit, treachery,
•and misery, and the power of a corrupt priesthood,
let him inquire for the secret force that produces this
state of things, and he will find it in the groups of
little children that are led by their mothers into the
heathen temples, and taught to bow the knee before
a hideous idol. If a child, say a little girl, is more
than others actuated by religious sentiments, she will
be found frequently bringing in her tiny hand ofler-
ings to lay upon the altar, — will often pray to the
fiilse deities whom she has been taught to reverence,
and subject herself to bodily pains and severe priva-
tions. As heathenism ofiers to her the only channels
through which her religious affections can flow, she
accepts them, and the system thus engrafted in her
nature, and connected with her earliest experience
and thoughts, abides with her, and controls her to the
hour of death. The gospel missionary may go to a

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CIIILDREX. 151

people thus trained, and he will effect comparatively
but little with the adult population. If he would
have hopes of success, — if he would move the giant
fabric of superstition that surrounds him, he must
commence with a new generation. He must estab-
lish schools, — he must deposit the seeds of divine
truth in the minds of children, — must suffer little
children to come to Jesus and learn of him ; — then
will the wilderness of heathenism and the solitary
place be made glad, and the desert rejoice and blos-
som as the rose.

So with the Romish superstition, its force is de-
rived from early culture. Though transplanted to
this land, where the fruits of Protestantism, as an
element of civilization, cannot fail to be seen, yet it
retains its hold upon the masses of its victims.
Though these papists have the opportunity of seeing
what a free system of education, republican institu-
tions, and a pure faith can do for even the social
interests of a people ; though they have the oppor-
tunity of contrasting this land with their own, in
point of intelligence, wealth, comfort, and power, yet
they will cling to the system that has left its blight
upon their native soil, and been the chief cause of
their past sufferings. And not only so, but they will
violently oppose the Protestant system, the blessings
of wiiich they have come hither to share. They
would, under the guidance of their teachers, tear
down the very fabric that affords them shelter. They
are taught by their priests to shun Protestantism as
they would a pestilence, and yet they come and ask
Protestantism to protect them against famine, pesti-

152 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

Icnce, and the various social evils that in their own
land could not be endured. A strange spectacle, a
marvellous wonder this; and yet it illustrates the
power of early instruction. It shows the influence
of principles when planted in the mind while that
mind is in its plastic state, though the principles are
erroneous, and are as hostile to one's temporal as to
his spiritual good.

Now let this force of early culture be rightly
directed ; let parents bring their children to Jesus, to
receive his blessing and instructions, and a moral
power would be created that would be felt through-
out Christendom. A generation would be raised up
that would defend the principles of the gospel against
all opposition, break the power of the " man of sin,"
dissipate the darkness of heathenism, and roll in
upon the nations the light of divine truth and the
blessing of a pure and holy religion.

The latter clause of the Saviour's declaration, is
also worthy of our attention. He desired the chil-
dren to be brought to him, because " of such is the
kingdom of heaven." Their presence reminded him
of his Father's house, — of the pure and bright spir-
its that surround the eternal throne.

Some have argued, that Christ in this language,
only designed to convey the idea that those who
were like infants in innocence, purity, and confidence,
would be admitted to the kinc^dom of heaven.

The ancient Jews entertained the opinion, that
only those infants that were circumcised were saved,
while the children of the Gentiles perished. The
Papal church, up to the time of the Reformation, en-

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREX. 153

tertained the belief that baptism was essential to the
salvation of infants. Ecclesiastics being themselves
excluded from domestic life, felt but little interest in
the welfare of children, and very readily adopted
and advocated this opinion. Being aware that it
would add greatly to the influence of their church,
and induce multitudes of parents to seek her com-
munion, that their children might be baptized, they
were ready to make it an article of faith. Nor has
there been any change among Romanists, on this
point, since the Reformation. Their bigotry, igno-
rance, and hostility towards all who differ from them,
lead them still to cling to it. The Puseyites also
agree with the Papist in this particular. " Without
baptism," say the Oxford tracts, " none can enter the
kingdom of heaven." That the rite of baptism is
an important and divine rite, — as the seal of God's
covenant with his church, — as a mark of his pecu-
liar favor towards the children of believers, and as a
form of parental dedication of infants to the service
of the Most High, we fully believe. But to make it
essential to salvation, or that, according to the book
of common prayer, it has in it a regenerating effi-
cacy, are opinions to which we cannot subscribe.

The Calvinists have often been charged with in-
volving this question in obscurity, and maintaining
the doctrine that only the baptized infants of believ-
ers were saved. But on examining the historical
argument, we find that they were the first to advance
liberal views upon the subject. Zuinglius first an-
nounced the doctrine that all infants are saved. He
argued that they were not guilty of actual transgres-

154 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

sion, — that being ignorant of the divine law, and
without tlie capacity of understanding it, they were
not capable of violating it, and hence were not sub-
ject to the penalty. Baptism, he maintained, rather
recognized than conferred religious privileges, and
had no power to make the distinction in the other
world, for which many contended. Indeed, it is to
the zeal of this and other Calvinistic writers, that the
various evangelical denominations have been led to
adopt the opinion that all who die in infancy are
saved. While the Romanists, the Oxford divines,
and those who agree with them, cling to their big-
oted and cruel dogma, that the vast majority of
infants are lost, the enlightened, liberal, evangelical
portion of the church are united in the opinion that
of such, literally, is the kingdom of Heaven.

In the vision which the Apostle John had of the
heavenly world, when he beheld around the throne a
great multitude which no man could number, we
have reason to believe, that the vast throng was
increased by millions of infant spirits, and that he
heard in the celestial choirs a chorus of infant
voices. When we call to mind how large a number
of those who die in middle life or at an advanced
age are unfit for the kingdom of heaven, when
we look over the world and survey the ravages of
sin, and observe in how many forms iniquity abounds,
and how many bright hopes are blasted, the sadness
of the picture is alleviated by the thought, that a
multitude, which no man can number, have, in the
dawn of existence, escaped the sorrows and miseries
of life, and safely reached their homes in the skies.

CHRIST BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN. 155

And could we withdraw the veil, and be endowed
with the vision which was granted to the Apostle
John, we should see this happy company surrounded
by angels, — walking in the avenues of the celestial
paradise, — their powers developing and expanding
in the genial and holy atmosphere of heaven. We
should behold the blessed Saviour worshipped by a
vast throng, whose infant voices swell the anthems
of praise that ascribe to him glory, honor, immor-
tahty, and power.

XIII

INTERVIEW TVITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN.

"AXD -WHEX HE WAS G OXE FORTH INTO THE WAT, THERE CAME
ONE RUXKIXG, AND KNEELED TO HIM, AND ASKED HIM, GOOD
MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO THAT I MAY INHERIT ETERNAL

LIFE?" — St. Mark x. 17.

It is interesting to observe with what facility
Christ adapts his teachings to all classes in society.
While his instructions contain fundamental prin-
ciples that are of universal application, he gives to
them, according to the occasion or circumstances
that call them forth, a personal bearing, which not
only adds to their force, but gives to his system of
truth a variety suited to every age and condition in
life. The rich and the poor, the prmce and the beg-
gar, the learned and the ignorant, the aged and the
young, may alike study the records of his life and
instructions, and receive spiritual knowledge adapted
to their case. Truly may Christ be denomiiiatcd
the Great Physician, who is not only familiar with
every moral disease, but who has a remedy for every
malady to which human nature is exposed.

INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 157

In the case of the young ruler, who came to Christ
to know what he must do " to inherit eternal life,!''
there are several points of peculiar interest and of
practical importance.

In the first place he exhibited traits of character that
excited the interest and love of the Saviour. He had
evidently enjoyed the advantages of an early religious
culture, and was familiar with the principles and
requisitions of the Jewish faith. With those prin-
ciples he had endeavored to make his life correspond*
He was a man of integi'ity, honest in his dealings,
courteous in his deportment, and rigid in the perform-
ance of many religious duties. He possessed many
amiable qualities, was kind, affable, and lovely.
Though his character evidently partook of the selfr-
righteousness that prevailed so extensively among the
Pharisees at that period, yet we have no reason to
believe that there was any hypocrisy in his conduct.
Had there been, Jesus, who knew the hearts of all
men, would not have looked upon him with so much
complacency and affection. His frank bearing, his
respectful manner, the earnestness with which he-
addressed the Saviour, won his confidence and love;.

Nor did Christ underrate his morality and good
works. Indeed, his first reply to the question of the
young ruler was in these words, " If thou wilt enter
into life, keep the commandments." Although the
full meaning and spiritual import of these words
were not fully understood, yet as far as the young
man had gone, his course met with approbation.
Occupying a position of authority, and possessing
immense wealth, the temptations that surrounded
14

158 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

him were peculiarly great. Aflluence and power
often try men's souls, more than poverty and obscu-
rity. Yet in such circumstances, the young ruler
had maintained an upright character and an amiable
disposition.

Nor have we any warrant from the Scriptures to
undervalue good works, and traits of character such
as were manifested on this occasion. Although they
have not power to save the soul, and cannot take the
place of a vital faith, yet they are the essential ac-
companiments of genuine religion. They may exist
without vital godliness ; but vital godliness cannot
exist without them. It was never the design of the
Gospel to abrogate the law. Christ came to fulfil
the law ; to render it honorable ; to reinstate in the
human soul the authority of the commandments.
He said to his disciples, " If ye love me, keep my
corruiiandments." In all his instructions, he never
lost sight of holy obedience as an essential element
of true piety. Formalism, or dependence upon an
outward profession, whether under the ancient dis-
pensation, or under the Gospel, were equally his ab-
horrence.

We sometimes meet with characters, professedly
Ciiristian, that practically repudiate good works and
amiable qualities. So much zeal is manifested in
the defence of the faith once delivered to the saints,
that little remains to produce its fruits. While cer-
tain formulas of doctrine are insisted upon with
vehemence, and dung to with tenacity, the great
duties that one owes to society and to God are over-
looked.

INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUXG MAX. 159

Now it is evident from the life and instructions of
Christ, that he regarded the chief force of one's influ-
ence as lying in a holy character. He would have
sound doctrine established in the intellect, but he
would have it there that it might be developed in the
life, and create an example that would lead others to
glorify our Father who is in heaven.

The next point to be noticed is, the state of mind
with which this young ruler approached Christ.

It is evident that he was earnestly desirous of se-
curing the salvation of his soul. We are informed
that he came running to Jesus, as though he was not
willing that the opportunity afforded of having an
interview with him, should pass by unimproved.
He had listened to Christ's teachings, and perhaps
witnessed some of his miracles. His interest in the
Messiah may have been gradually awakened, and
his mind may have passed through various struggles
between the claims of this world, and the rewards
of eternity, before he brought himself to the point
of going directly to the Saviour. We can hardly
suppose, considering his circumstances and the posi-
tion that he occupied, and the feelings which the
Jews generally entertained towards the despised
Nazarene, that this step was taken suddenly, or
without long premeditation. K Nicodemus thought
it necessary to visit Christ by night, in order to avoid
the suspicion of being favorable to his cause, and if
the public sentiment was indicated by the inquiry,
" Have any of the rulers or Pharisees believed on
him ? " we must suppose that the boldness and ear-
nestness of this young ruler were prompted by strong

160 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

feeling?, and by ardent desires to obtain eternal life.
Besides, he ap})roached Christ with the greatest rev-
erence and humility. He kneeled before him in the
presence of his disciples, and of the spectators who
stood around. Thus he publicly bore testimony to
the confidence that he placed in the Great Teacher,
and in the truth of his instructions. In addressing
him, he said, " Good ^Master, what good thing shall I
do that I may inherit eternal life ? "' The Saviour
perceiving the precise state of the inquirer's mind,
and the meanins: which he attached to the title
which he had addressed to him, instead of giving an
immediate answer, endeavored to direct his attention
to the source of infinite goodness, and persuade him
to free his mind from the sph*it of self-righteousness
which he shared in common with the Jews at that
day. He wished to establish in the young ruler just
conceptions of the divine character, as the only true
basis upon which he could build his religious hopes.
If the idea was entertained that a created being or a
pro})het had power to impart salvation, the Saviour
wished to expel such an idea from the mind. On
another occasion he would doubtless have admitted
this title that was addressed to him, but he had a
special reason for the comments that he made upon
it at this time.

In the convictions and feelings of this young ruler,
we recognize the moral state of a large number of
intelligent and upright persons in the nominally
Christian world. Tiiis class are intellectually con-
vinced of the truth of the Gospel dispensation.
They perceive the beauties and excellences of the

IXTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUXG MAN. 161

doctrines that Christ taught, — the necessity of a
divine revelation to instruct man in regard to his
duty and his destiny; and the need of heavenly
light to guide us in our journeyings towards eternity.
In their hours of meditation, or in the stillness of
night, when the very silence fills the mind with so-
lemnity, and the stars declare the perfections and
glory of God, an influence gathers around the heart
that urges them to go to the Saviour, and learn of him
what they shall do to inherit eternal life. On the
Sabbath, in the midst of sanctuary services, when
God's truth is before the conscience, and worldly in-
terests are low in the scale of one's estimation, there
are strong desires to be prepared for the hazaixls of
eternity. The reason and judgment, as well as the
feelings of the heart, are on the side of truth and
righteousness.

Indeed, that heart must be sadly destitute of sensi-
bility that cannot at times be moved by the exhibi-
tions of divine love, and the various means that God
is employing to bless and save the world. That mind
must be under a fearful paralysis that cannot at times,
in the midst of great mercies or terrible judgments,
send its thoughts forward to explore the future. The
great facts connected with our being, leaving out of
view a divine revelation, — the certainty of death, the
possibility of a future life, and that momentous con-
sequences may be connected with our conduct here,
— are enough to fill any heart with emotion, and
any mind with profound anxiety.

But we have reason to apprehend that the analogy
between this class of persons and the young ruler
14*

162 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

holds true in other points, beside tlie one we have
considered.

The inquirer, having replied with great readiness
to the question put to him respecting the command-
ments, said, " What lack I yet ? " He felt probably
that his morality in the several particulars specified,
was suflicient to secure his salvation. But to put
the matter beyond all doubt, he proposed this ques-
tion, " What lack I yet ? " The Saviour, impressed
by his frankness and earnestness, gazed upon him
with emotions of tender compassion. Reading his
heart, and knowing just what barriers he must break
through in order to obtain light and hope, he said to
him, " One thing thou lackest." " If thou wilt be
perfect, go thy way, sell what thou hast, and give to
the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:
and come, take up the cross, and follow me." In
this language we see that Christ comes directly to
the point in the case. The proposition which he
makes is clear and searching. To some it may seem
harsh and unnecessarily severe. But it simply con-
tains, in an intense form, the great principle upon
which the gospel scheme had been from the com-
mencement promulgated, — the principle that the
law of benevolence must be the supreme law of the
soul, — that love to God and to our neighbor must
be the highest affection of the regenerate heart. The
same truth is brought out in the declarations : " Ye
cannot serve God and mammon ; " " If any man will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross." And if we will narrowly scrutinize the prin-
ciple for a moment, we shall see, that instead of be-

INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUXG MAN. 163

ing severe or arbitrary, it is the only principle by
which the great purposes of redemption can be
secured. For no other would have force enough to
purge the soul of selfishness, and restore to the mind
the lost image of its Maker. No other would be ade-
quate to the work of breaking up the giant systems
of evil in the world, and reorganizing society upon
the broad basis of justice and right. No other would
be capable of uniting the soul to God in the bonds
of everlasting love. No other would afford any war-
rant that "the glorious gospel of the blessed God"
would survive the obstacles and difficulties that
would be encountered, and be carried forward to a
triumphant consummation. Suppose that Christ had
demanded but a partial surrendering of the affections
and services of his followers to himself; suppose that
he had made proclamation, that it was possible to
serve God and mammon, what efficacy would there
have been in his system ? Every heart that he
claimed would have been a divided empire, and his
cause would, at best, have had but a feeble support.
Besides, according to the laws of mind, there can be,
at the same time, but one supreme object of pur-
suit. The attention may be divided between differ-
ent objects, but one must rule the affections and
energies of the soul. When these objects come in
conflict, the less, in one's estimation, must yield to
the greater. If love to God is the supreme affection,
then every thing must bow to this. If avarice, or
ambition, or vice, is in the ascendency, then the sov-
ereignty of this principle is asserted over every other
interest. In some cases, the specific acts under dif-

164 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

fercnt supreme purposes may appear to draw very
near to the line that divides the territory of benevo-
lence from that of selfishness; as, for example, a
man's morality may be so rigid and his virtues so
praiseworthy, as to almost seem to touch the line
that defines the boundary of religious principle. But,
after all, it is the nature of a man's ruling purpose
that decides his character; and the Saviour saw, that
while the young ruler had many amiable qualities
and many virtues, and was indeed lovely, that still
the principle of avarice was upon the throne of his
heart. He sought, therefore, at once to dethrone
that principle. The honor of God, the success of his
cause, and the highest welfare of the young ruler,
demanded it. Its destruction was absolutely essen-
tial to a thorough work of grace in his soul. With
the benevolent principle in the ascendency, the work
of sanctification could advance; the Holy Spirit
could take up his abode in the soul, and render it a
temple of the living God. Every Christian grace
would flourish, and the fruits of the Spirit would be
experienced — love, peace, and joy. The full force of
the man's energies and life would be given to the
cause of truth, and to the sublime work of the world's
redemption. Had the proposition been acceded to,
the name of that young ruler might have come down
to us surrounded by holy influences, and carrying
with it a sacred power into the circles of wealth,
refinement, and authority. It might have ranked
with the names of St. Paul and St. John, and have
grown with the growth, and extended with the exten-
sion of Christianity.

INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 165

Besides, infinite blessings were offered as a reward
for the sacrifice. " Thou shalt have treasure in
heaven," said the Saviour. The joys and glories of an
immortal state would be his portion. He would be
admitted to a participation in honors and pleasures
that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor even the
heart of man conceived.

But how was the rich young man affected by the
proposition? Alas, with mingled astonishment and
sadness he listened to these words from the lips of
the Great Teacher. Troubled in spirit, anxious to
obtain eternal life, and yet unwilling to give up his
gi-eat possessions, he turned his back upon the Sav-
iour and went away. Nor do we learn that he ever
returned again. Blinded by the glitter of worldly
riches, and fascniated by the transient pleasures
which they procured for him, he preferred them to
immortal treasures. Though he had been admitted
to an interview with the King of kings, and Lord of
lords ; though he had the pledge of eternal life from
him whose name is called " Wonderful, Counsellor,
the Mighty God, the Prince of Peace ; " though he
might have united his interests to him who was to
be exalted far above all principalities and powers,
yet with a sorrowing heart he returned to the beg-
garly elements of this world. After having stood, as
it were, in the gateway of the everlasting city, he
turned his back upon its palaces and temples, and
voluntarily clung to treasures that at best could
afford him but a superficial and temporary happi-
ness.

In his dying moments with what emotions must

166 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

the decision of this hour have been regarded ! How
rapid the change in the comparative value of earthly
and heavenly treasures I How the world sinks,
viewed from the verge of the futiu*e life ! How
eternity rises ! We cannot but suppose that in that
solemn hour, this proposition must have stood out
with fearful prominence before his mind. His great
possessions he must now leave, whether he will or
not. Had he consecrated them upon the altar of
benevolence, he might, as it were, carry them with
him,* and been received by the supreme King with
the welcome, " Well done, good and faithful servant,
enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." But that
wealtli to him now is a mere wreck. It cannot keep
him from sinkins: in the dark waters of death. It
cannot comfort him. He may leave it in legacies to
the destitute, but that will be but a poor substitute
for a life of earnest benevolence and devoted piety.
I apprehend that the Supreme Being does not look
with any special complacency upon that charity that
only comes from a man with his dying breath. Cer-
tainly the clement of self-denial does not enter into
it. Benevolent societies may sometimes be the
gainers, but wliat Christ demands is the services and
charities of living, and not dying men. Besides, one
great purpose of charity is, that the donor may him-
self be blessed. While the earth is the Lord's and
the fulness thereof, the Deity cannot be dependent
upon the legacies or gifts of any of his creatures.

Let us turn to notice the comments ichick Christ
made vpon this scene^Xo the spectators who witnessed
it. He availed himself of the occasion to show how

INTERVIEW WITH THE RICH YOUNG MAN. 167

hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into
the kingdom of God. In explaining his words to his
disciples, he assures them that what is impossible with
men is possible with God ; that divine grace is suffi-
cient to overcome the power of avarice. Yet he
would impress them with the great danger of the
soul's being ensnared and destroyed by the riches of
this world. The instance which had just passed be-
fore them was a melancholy illustration of the power
of avarice in holding a mind in its grasp that was
enlightened in regard to its duty, and convinced of
the necessity of making vigorous efforts to secure
eternal life. Nor is the danger from this source con-
fined to those, who, like this rich young man, have
great possessions. Judas, without wealth, fell before
the power of the same principle. The poor man, as
well as the rich man, may be under the dominion of
covetousness. The principle is the same, whether
the field for its operation is large or small. And
here, mainly, is the battle ground upon which the
spiritual interests of the soul are decided. The
great struggle in Christendom, and wherever the
light of divine truth has excited inquiry and reflec-
tion, is between God on the one hand, and mammon
on the other. Mammon, or wealth, standing as the
representative of worldly good, presses its claims,
while God, the representative and source of infinite
blessings, urges his demands upon our supreme
affections. The former appeals to the outward
senses, the latter to the spiritual nature. The former
deals with the inclinations and carnal desires, the
latter with conscience and duty. The former covers

168 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

only the interests of time, the latter spreads over
eternity. The former is limited and transient, the
latter infinite and imperishable.

Upon this battle ground we all stand. In every
heart one of these principles is supreme. There is
no neutrality here. The nature of mind, the nature
of Christianity, the nature of God forbid it. He
who is not for me, said Christ, is against me.

The highest form of the principle of benevolence
is presented to us in the life of the Great Teacher
himself. He not only for our sakes became poor,
but he gave all that one being could give for the
benefit of others, gave his life, submitted to a most
cruel and is^nominious death. Hence Christianitv is
the very essence of benevolence, and in this lies its
farce. This constitutes it the reformatory power of
the world.

Christ dwells also upon the abundant and glorious
rewards that accrue to those who give up all to his
cause. In reply to a question put to him by Peter,
he said, " Every one that hath forsaken houses, or
brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother .... for my
name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall
inherit everlasting life." That this cause should be
attended with glorious results in the future life, is
what we might naturally expect; but that it will
yield an hundred-fold more happiness in this life than
the opposite course, is, to many, a very strange doc-
trine. Yet we have the authority of Christ for its
truth. The approbation of conscience; the knowl-
edge that we are in the path of duty, and are living
for the purest and highest purposes ; the divine com-

INTERVIEW WITH THE KICH YOUXG MAX. 169

munications imparted to the soul ; the peace of God
that passeth all understanding ; the clear and bright
visions of future felicity, will afford an hundred fold
more happiness than the wealth and honors of this
world. The apostles experienced the truth of this
even in the midst of persecution. St. Paul speaks
of himself as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as
poor, yet making many rich ; as having nothing, and
yet possessing all things.

15

XIV.

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS.

" IIe cried WITU a loud voice, LAZARUS, COME FORTH. AND

HE THAT WAS DEAD CAME FORTH." — St. John xi. 43, 44.

Ix the miracle of the resuiTcctioii of Lazaru?, all
are personally interested. If its truth can be sub-
stantiated, — if the evidences upon which it rests are
such as cannot be overthrown, then it furnishes a
most important ground of hope and of faith. For
the question of questions to every thoughtful mind
is, " If a man die, shall he live again?" When the
breath leaves the body, and all this complicated and
nicely adjusted machinery ceases to act, and the
form lies cold, silent, and unconscious, the inquiry
will force itself upon us, is this the end of man's ex-
istence ? Is the principle of vitality never to reani-
mate this form, but eternal darkness and solitude to
be its portion ? Nor does the frequency of death
lessen the anxiety to fathom its mysteries, or detract
from the profound solemnity of the event. Though
the countless millions of past generations have been

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 171

swept from the stage of life ; though every hour of
these revolving days and years, the king of terrors
numbers his victims, yet death to each individual is
as solemn and mysterious an event, as if he alone
was subject to its power. The thought of leaving the
world never to return, — of closing our eyes upon the
sunlight, upon the beauties of the earth's scenery, and
lying down in the darkness and silence of the tomb, —
the sad consciousness of parting with kind friends,
and all that has rendered life dear and attractive, —
the fact that the untried scenes of eternity are so
near, are calculated to excite the deepest emotions
of the soul. As the shadows of death fall upon the
spirit, the dying man strains his vision to discern
some rays of light in the regions beyond the dark
valley. He involuntarily pleads for some assurance
that death is not an eternal sleep, that this sinking
away of consciousness is not final and irrecoverable.
In the midst of his gloom and perplexities, Christ
appears before him with the evidences that he has
power over the grave, that he is mightier than death,
that he can dissipate its sadness, solve its dark mys-
teries, and make the scenes beyond brighter and
more glorious than any that have been witnessed on
earth. He can point to the raising of Lazarus, as
proof that he has power to summ.on the millions
from their graves, and reanimate the mouldering
forms that lie scattered over the islands and conti-
nents of the earth, and are buried in the caverns of
the deep.

This miracle, having so intimate a bearing upon
our personal hopes, is worthy of examination in its

172 LIFE SCENES OF TUE MESSIAH.

various details and connecting circumstances. Our
blessed Lord, while prosecuting his labors in Judea,
formed a warm attachment for a family, consisting
of a brother and two sisters, residing in Bethany, a
village situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives,
about two miles from Jerusalem. He had often ex-
perienced their hospitality and shared in their kind
attentions. In the midst of his trials and hardships,
it was truly refreshing to his spirit to commune with
this pious family, receive their affectionate sympathy,
and witness the evidences of their faith and love.
On their part, they esteemed it the greatest privilege
and honor to entertain the Saviour, and to contribute
in any way to his comfort. They believed in him as
the long promised Messiah, as the Teacher sent from
God, as the Son of the Most High. They naturally
took the most intense delight in his society, and in
listening to the words of heavenly w^isdom and love
which fell from his lips.

We deem it, under any circumstances, a source of
pleasure and profit to converse with the wise and
good ; to obtain through animated and friendly
conversation the benefit of their varied and critical
studies, their profound meditations, and their experi-
ence in years of virtuous and benevolent action. But
how far transcending the advantages of all human
intercourse, was the privilege of sitting down in the
quietness and security of a Christian family, and con-
versing with him who possessed infinite knowledge ;
in whom dwelt all the riches of heavenly wisdom,
whose love for the human race was like a fathomless,
shoreless ocean. We may, in imagination, picture

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 173

before our minds this interesting group, with Laza-
rus, Mary, and Martha, proposing questions to their
illustrious sfuest touchinsf the interests of the soul and
the realities of the immortal state. As he discourses
upon the great doctrines of his system of truth, — as
he presents clearly to their minds his own nature and
character, — the sublimity and glory of the work
which he had come to achieve ; — especially as he
described to them the blessedness, holiness, and felic-
ity of heaven, their attention is naturally riveted to
his words, and their souls filled with the most intense
excitement and enrapturing emotions. If Christ was
so ready, in his journeyings through Judea, to in-
struct the ignorant and to reason with even the scep-
tical and those who were opposed to him, we must
suppose that in a pious family like this, where he
found an anxiety to receive instruction, that there
was a richness, fervor, eloquence, and celestial glow
to his teachings that far surpass our most vivid con-
ceptions. We must suppose that every new inter-
view that this favored family had with their guest,
increased their delight in his instructions, their enthu-
siastic admiration for his character, and their affection
for him as a warm personal friend.

Any of us would regard it as an inestimable privi-
lege thus to sit down and listen to the instructions
of him who was the very embodiment of all truth,
knowledge, wisdom, and love! To hear him dis-
course of life and immortality, — to receive from him
clear and absolute knowledge upon points that have
perplexed and saddened us, — to have him clear
away the mists of error and the doubts that have
15*

174 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

overshadowed our faith, and enable us to look be-
yond the valley of death, and discern the beauties
and glories of the heavenly state, would indeed be
the highest felicity I One hour of such conversation
with the Lord of glory would afford more distinct
.and impressive views of theological truth, and more
stimulus to press forward for the immortal prizes that
are lield out to the Christian, than all the writings of
philosophers and the treasures of human learning.

We cannot wonder that between this family and
the blessed Messiah a close and affectionate intimacy
was formed. But like all other Christians during
their earthly pilgrimage, the happiness of this family
was subject to the vicissitudes and sorrows of life.
While Jesus was in Perea, about a day's journey
from Bethany, Lazarus was taken sick, and a mes-
senger was sent to acquaint the Saviour of the fact.
Several motives may have influenced the sisters in
doing this. They may have supposed that Christ
would naturally desire to see his friend, who had
thus been suddenly prostrated by a severe attack of
sickness. Or if Lazarus was about to die, they
would wish to have Christ near to administer to him
the consolations of religion, and quicken his hopes
of future and immortal happiness. Or, such was
their confidence in the power of the Saviour, they
supposed that if he were present, he would heal their
brother ; for Martha said to him when they met, " if
thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."
But Christ, to comfort the sisters, sent back this
reply, althougli its import was not at that time obvi-
ous. " This sickness is not unto death, but for the

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 175

glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified
thereby." When these words reached them, they
were doubtless greatly soothed ; although the word
death is equivalent to the phrase "remaining under
death," and does not necessarily imply that Lazarus
should not die. But their comfort is of short dura-
tion, for on the very evening probably that the mes-
sengers returned, Lazarus died.

Here was, indeed, a most severe trial to the faith
of the pious sisters. In the midst of their deep sor-
rows they had sent for their spiritual guide and
instructor, and he had not come to them. Although
they had sent the tender message, " Behold, he whom
thou lovest is sick," yet the affection which he had
manifested towards their brother, had not drawn him
to the scene. The promise, too, that he made, seemed
to be broken ; and thus in the very hour when they
most needed sympathy, they were deprived of it.
What conflicting feelings must have agitated their
minds as they thought of the words of Christ, and
then looked upon the cold, lifeless form of their de-
parted brother I How many inquiries and tempta-
tions must have been presented by the scene through
which they were passing! Is it possible, they ask,
that we have been deceived by him whom we have
entertained with so much pleasure, and listened to
with such admiration ? Or does he lack the power
of arresting the progress of disease and saving human
life ? Or -has he become so much interested in others
as to have lost his friendship for us ? Their perplex-
ity and sorrow were, as we may well imagine, most
intense.

176 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

The body is prepared for bnrial ; the hour for the
last solemn rites is ajipoiiitcd; the mourners assem-
ble ; tiie procession, with all the marks of profound
sorrow, moves towards the tomb ; the corpse is laid
away in its cold, silent resting-place ; the sisters
return to their desolate home, and yet through all,
no Messiah appears to comfort them.

How frequently have Christians in aflliction been
placed in circumstances similar to these, when a dark
and impenetrable cloud hung over all their earthly
prospects; \\'hen their supports one after another
give way, and their faith in any good is put to the
severest test I

Bui, from the narrative of St. John, it appears,
that Christ was by no means indifferent to the sor-
rows of his bereaved friends, nor ignorant of what
was transpiring in Bethany. After two days had
elapsed from the time he heard of Lazarus' sickness,
he proposed to return to Judea. But his disciples,
astonished and alarmed at the proposition, said to
him : " INIaster, the Jews of late sought to stone thee,
and goest thou thither again ? " They were fearful
that some calamity might befall him, and they
thought that the least they could do was to keep out
of the way of danger. Christ, in replying to them,
labored to strengthen their courage, and to show that
if they walked in the lis^ht and strove to fulfil their
duty, they had nothing to fear. He then tells them
why he desires to go : " Our friend Lazarus sleepeth ;
but I go that I may wake him out of sleep." The
disciples not und<'rstanding his meaning, said : "If
he sleep, he shall do well," assigning this as an addi-

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 177

tional reason why their Master should not expose
himself to such imminent danger. Then Jesus said
plainly, " Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your
sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may be-
lieve ; nevertheless, let us go unto him." He would
gladly, for the sake of the afHicted family, have been
with them, and saved them from the severe anguish
which they had been called to suffer. But as far as
the disciples were concerned, he was glad of the
opportunity of increasing their faith by a display of
his miraculous power, such as they had not before
witnessed. And although he would run great hazard
in returning to a region where the people were so
excited and enraged against him, yet his purpose is
formed to go to Bethany. His affection for the pious
family that had so hospitably entertained him, his
desire to increase the faith and stimulate the zeal of
his beloved disciples, and his anxiety to furnish a
proof of the doctrine of the resurrection that would
impress his followers in all nations and ages of the
world, were sufficient motives to induce him to
encounter whatever obstacles might impede his pro-
gress. It is most interesting thus to see the love and
energy of the Saviour raising his spirit above the
influence of adverse circumstances, fortifying him for
every emergency, and prompting him to press for-
ward for the accomplishment of his great and sub-
lime work. When his purpose was fully known^
Thomas said to his fellow disciples : " Let us also go,
that we may die with him." " Let us share his trials
and dangers, and, if necessary, sacrifice our lives in
his cause. For it is better to die with such a Master

178 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

than to live without the consolations and sph'itual
benefits which he alone can impart."

The tidings of Christ's approach to Bethany
reached Martha first, and she went forth to meet
him, while Mary remained in the house overwhelmed
with grief At the sight of her Saviour, Martha's
aftection and confidence returned. She said to him,
" Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not
died. But I know that even now, whatsoever thou
wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith
unto her. Thy brother shall rise again. Martha said
to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resur-
rection at the last day." The words that follow from
the lips of the Saviotir, are among the most precious,
sublime, and thrilling that are to be found in the
sacred volume. They should be engraved as with a
pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, upon every
pious heart. They should be inscribed in golden
letters upon every Christian temple. They should
be meditated upon at all times, and under all cir-
cumstances, in the house and by the way, when we
go out and wdien w^e come in. They should increase
our faith, stimulate our hopes, and fire our zeal. They
should be recited for the consolation of the afllicted,
to enable such to reflect with composure upon the
departure of beloved friends, and cherish the hope of a
reunion in a purer and brighter state of being. They
should be uttered in the hearing of the dying saint,
that as dark shadows are falling upon his earthly
prospects, he may l)e cheered by the dawning bright-
ness of an eternal day. Listen, then, to them, and
fathom if you ciin their sublime and glorious import.

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 179

" Jesus sa-id unto her, I am the resurrection and the
life ; he that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and believeth
in me shall never die I " And the inquiry following,
which Christ put to Martha, he would with empha-
sis address to every thinking, immortal being, Be-
lievest thou this? The great question to us all, —
one that involves the highest, mightiest interests of
the soul I

After this conversation, in which thus incidentally
was brought out this great truth, Martha hastened
to Mary, and secretly said to her, " The master is
come, and calleth for thee." She quickly arose and
went to him ; and her Jewish friends who had called
to comfort her, followed her out of the house, sup-
posing that she was going to the grave to weep
there. When she- came to the place where Jesus
was, she was overwhelmed with the deepest emo-
tion ; and, falling down at his feet, she said, " if thou
hadst been here my brother had not died." The
Saviour observing her and her friends in tears, was
moved by the scene, and the Evangelist informs us
that " Jesus wept." In this short verse, the shortest
in the Bible, there is condensed a fulness and ricji-
ness of meaning that carries comfort and sympathy
to every afflicted soul. Although the Saviour knew
that he was soon to turn this sorrow into joy ; al-
though he was conscious of possessing a power
mightier than death, yet such was the tenderness of
his nature, and the strength of his affections and
sympathies, that he could not refrain from giving
vent to his feelings. And his example on this occa-

ISO LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

sion, affords us a warrant to mourn over the loss of
dear friends, and to weep at the graves of those we
love. It was never the design of the gospel to
blunt the sensibilities of the soul, or to suppress the
natural feelings of the heart in seasons of bereave-
ment. It comes rather to regulate and soothe these
feelings, to lead the sorrowful to the divine fountain
of sympathy and consolation. It comes to relieve
the darkness of the grave with the soft light of a
celestial and immortal state. It comes not to de-
stroy affliction, but to cause it to work out for the
Christian a far more exceeding and eternal weight
of glory.

The company having arrived at the tomb, Jesus
ordered the stone to be removed from the entrance.
A distinguished divine remarks, that " Our Lord
could with perfect ease have commanded the stone
to roll away of itself, without employing any to re-
move it ; but he judiciously avoided all unnecessary
pomp and parade, and mingled all the majesty of
this astonishing miracle with the most amiable mod-
esty and simplicity." The stone having been re-
moved, and a prayer of thanksgiving offered to
heaven, Jesus " cried with a loud voice, Lazarus,
come forth. And he that was dead came forth,
bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his
face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith
unto them, Loose him and let him go." With the
particulars respecting the mode of preparing the
dead for burial at that time, and the manner in
which Lazarus raised liimself up in the sepulchre,
we need not concern ourselves ; as they are fully ex-

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS. 181

plained in the writings of commentators and theolo-
gians. It is in the great fact of the resurrection of
Lazarus that we are interested ; and after a careful
examination of the evidences connected with the
miracle, we are free to affirm, that all the circum-
stances conspire to substantiate its credibility. The
fact that the deceased had been dead four days, so
that jMartha feared that the decay of the body might
have already commenced, when it was proposed to
roll away the stone from the sepulchre ; the absence
of Christ at the time of the death and burial ; the
large number of persons who witnessed the miracle ,
the impossibility of deceit or jugglery having been
practised under such circumstances ; the express dec-
laration of Christ to his disciples, that Lazarus was
dead ; and other facts, prove that the credibility of
this event is placed beyond all reasonable dispute.
We are warranted in recognizing in it the assurance,
that the same being who wrought this miracle, has
power to call the slumbering millions of our race
from their graves. Lazarus appears and walks forth
as a proof that the king of terrors may be conquered,
and that those who sincerely believe in Jesus will
hear his voice and come forth to share in the bless-
ings of eternal life.

16

XV.

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY,

" Ox THE NEXT DAY, MUCH PEOPLE THAT WERE COME TO TUB
FEAST, WIIEX THEY HEARD THAT JESUS WAS COMING TO JERU-
SALEM, TOOK BRANCHES OF PALM TREES AND MENT FORTH TO
MEET UIM, AND CRIED, HOSANNA J BLESSED IS THE KING OF
ISRAEL, THAT COMETH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD," — St.

Jolin xii. 12, 13.

Although the fame of Christ, and especially the
raising of Lazarus, awakened the jealousy and rage
of the Pharisees, yet among the masses of the people
they excited the most intense enthusiasm. The thou-
sands of j)eople who were flocking to Jerusalem to
celebrate the; passover, found that the wonderful mir-
acles wliich Christ had wrought were everywhere the
topic of conversation. In the houses and streets of
the city; amid the throngs that stood about the
temple ; at the gates, and in the neighboring villages,
it was evident that a profound sensation had been
produced. Multitudes rushed to Bethany to learn
the particulars respecting the raising of Lazarus, and
to confirm with their own eyes the reports which they

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 183

had heard. Some were actuated by curiosity to
behold a man who, after having been dead and in
the grave four days, was now living and mingling
as usual with his family and friends. Others were
desirous of beholding the remarkable person about
whom they had heard so much, and who possessed
the extraordinary power of calling the dead to life.

Under such circumstances, it was natm'al that the
friends of Christ sho-uld desire to make some public
demonstration of their respect and reverence for so
illustrious a personage. Nor was the Messiah him-
self unwilling to yield on this occasion to the enthu-
siasm of the people. He felt that the time had come
for making a public acknowledgment of his claims
as the king of the Jews, — as the founder of a new
and spiritual empire, — even the kingdom of God in
the earth. He knew, indeed, that the triumph \vould
be short, that the songs and shouts of the people
would soon be silenced, and that some who were the
most forward in celebrating his praises, might soon
raise the cry, " crucify him." "While in the select
circle of his bosom friends and disciples, his charac-
ter and mission were to a great extent understood,
yet the great multitude of the people were ignorant
of the extent of his claims, and the nature of his
kingdom. In order, therefore, to enlighten their
minds, and to silence all objections that might in the
future be made against him for not having come out
openly, and with sufficient distinctness to impress
the popular mind, he consented to make a triumphal
entry into Jerusalem. We can readily see that it
was a question of vast importance to decide, to what

184 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

extent Christ should make a demonstration of his
miraculous power, unfold his system of truth, and
reveal his purposes and claims. He had so many-
elements and phases of human depravity to deal
with, such a variety of opinions and doubts to en-
counter, and so delicate a task to remove an ancient
dispensation that was a divine institution, but had
exj)onded its force ; that it was a very nice point to
decide what course to pursue to meet the emergen-
cies which daily arose. If he, on all occasions, came
out with the utmost plainness and fearlessness, the
pri^judices of the people might be too strongly ex-
cited against him, and his life might be destroyed
before the sfreat work of unfoldinsf his system and
furnishing the best evidences of its truth, was accom-
plished. If, on the other hand, he was too obscure
in his utterances, and retired in his habits, he might
fail to reach the multitude, and gain them over to his
cause. Hence, the greatest wisdom was necessary
in all his movements and teachings, that he might
accomplish his purposes, and at the same time adapt
himself to the circumstances and wants of the peo-
ple. And we find that this wisdom was displayed
on all occasions, though it was not always attended
with success, as Christ once told the people, after an
attempt to instruct them, " But whereunto shall I
liken this generation? It is like unto children, sitting
in the markets and calling unto their fellows and
saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not
danced ; we have mourned unto you, and ye have
not lamented. For John came neither eating nor
drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 185

man came eating ajid drinking, and they say, Behold,
a man gluttonous and a wine-bibber, a friend of pub-
licans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her
children." All the wise and truly good will see the
design of this variety, and its adaptation to promote
the glory of God and the salvation of men.

On many occasions, when the people had become
greatly excited, Christ retired from them, and left
them to return to their homes to meditate upon the
scenes that they had witnessed, and the truths they
had heard. But on his departure from Bethany to
go to Jerusalem at this time, he allowed his disciples
and the host that had gathered in the village to ac-
company him. On their way, an ass's colt was pro-
vided upon which Jesus rode, thus rendering his per-
son more conspicuous to the people, and fulfilling the
prophecy of Zechariah, " Fear not, daughter of Zion :
behold, thy king cometh sitting on an ass's colt."
We need not suppose that among the oriental na-
tions any idea of degradation or humiliation was
attached to a person's riding upon such animals,
they being larger and more beautiful than those that
are with us. In distinction from horses that were
used in war and in military celebrations, this animal,
selected by Christ, was the emblem of peace, and
was used by kings and princes upon great occasions.
The patriarchs and judges did not deem it disgrace-
ful to ride upon them, as is seen in the cases of
Abraham, Moses, and the Jair's family, recorded in
the ancient Scriptures.

The people, to show their reverence, threw their
loose mantles upon the colt upon which Jesus sat ;
16*

186 LITE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

and as he rode along he was escorted with the hon-
ors of royalty, and demonstrations of the most en-
thusiastic admiration. Multitudes spread their gar-
ments along the road, thus making a continuous
•carpet for the illustrious prince to ride upon. Others
cut branches from the trees, and gathered flowers
and strewed them in the way ; which was the mode
of expressing the public joy at the arrival of a dis-
tinguished king.

The motives that actuated many in the crowd,
may have been of a mixed, and of a secular charac-
ter. Some may have joined the company simply
from love of excitement. Others may have supposed
that the reign of Christ as a temporal prince, would
Jiow commence, and that on reaching Jerusalem he
would proclaim and vindicate his title to the throne
of Israel. They expected that he would pronounce,
perhaps under the shadow of the temple, an inau-
gural address, such as never fell upon mortal ears ;
and that he would make a demonstration of his
divine power, that would convince all the inhabitants
of the city, and the vast throngs of strangers that
'were gathered within its walls, that he was their
rightful sovereign. But, erroneous as may have been
the views of some, there were many who were
influenced by pure and even spiritual motives, —
many who believed that the long promised Messiah
had come. Tliey recognized in the person of Jesus,
him of whom ])rophets had spoken, of whom the
Psalmist David had simg, and for whose rect^ption
the nations had been, for thousands of years, in a
•course of preparation. Their hearts were fllled with

THE TRIUMPHAL EXTRY. 187

gratitude, that such a teacher and prince from the
royal courts above had condescended to visit the
earth, mingle with sinful men, and open before them
life and immortality. Their spirits were fired with
zeal to bestow the highest honors upon their great
Master. They desbed that all the world might
share in the blessings he had to bestow, — that his
spiritual sovereignty might be established, and his
reign become universal. Nor can this spectacle be
otherwise than refreshing to every true disciple of
Jesus. It is certainly an immense relief to turn from
the scenes of toil, sorrow, and anguish, through
which we are so often called to follow the Messiah,
and behold him receiving the honors due to his
heavenly character and exalted station. We rejoice
to see even for a short season, the dark clouds that
have so long surrounded his pathway breaking away,
and the light flashing in upon him. We rejoice that
he can for once, at least, hear praises instead of
threats, and be followed by a band who seek to
honor and not to destroy him. The shout of that
multitude falls as music upon our ears. Their out-
burst of admiration comes to us as an indication
that the cause of this illustrious, wonderful being, is
not hopeless, and that the sensibilities of mankind
are not entirely deadened.

When the procession reached the descent of the
Mount of Olives, they were met by a crowd of peo-
ple, who having come up to celebrate the feast from
Galilee and the neighboring countries, had been in-
formed that the Messiah was approaching the city.
Without waiting for him to come within the gates,

188 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

they rushed forth to gain a sight of him, and to join
in the demonstration of respect and honor which
was being made. After a momentary pause, occa-
sioned by the meeting of two such tides of living
beings, and the inquiries that were made by the
strangers respecting the truth of reports concerning
the resurrection of Lazarus, the multitude moved on
again with increased enthusiasm and augmented
strength. They now took branches of palm trees,
which were usually carried before heroes in a public
triumph, and bore them high in the air in honor of
the Prince of Peace. While the shouts of many in
the far distance were rending the air, from the lips
of others was heard that beautiful and noble an-
them, taken from the Psalms of David, " Hosanna !
Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the
name of the Lord." Never before did the surround-
ing mountains and the walls and towers of the city
echo such a song! Never did the earth witness a
triumpli so full of intense meaning and glorious re-
sults ! For the hero comes not from the smoke of
battle, and fields of slaughter. No piles of the
slain, — no smouldering cities, — no crippled em-
pires,— no chained captives form the background
of this scene. The conqueror comes from the arena
of moral victories. He has grappled with tempta-
tion,— with the various forms of human wicked-
ness,— with principalities and powers, and the rulers
of the darkness of this world. He has maintained
his integrity in the midst of a perverse and corrupt
generation. He has overcome malice by kindness,
hatred by love, cursing by blessing. He has estab-

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 189

lished a spiritual kingdom that is antagonistic to
every species of wickedness, that protests against all
wrong and injustice, that is destined to rescue man
from the ruins of the fall, reestablish the authority
of the divine government, and guide the nations to
happiness and glory.

As the living stream poured along and drew near
the gates of the city, the whole multitude of the dis-
ciples who had, in times past, felt restrained, by fear
of the Jews, from expressing publicly their admira-
tion for the Messiah, now believed that the long
desired moment had arrived for giving vent to their
affections and emotions. The scene around them
recalled the many acts of Idndness which the Saviour
had performed, the various and wonderful miracles
which he had wrought, and the numerous instances
when he deserved a demonstration of public grati-
tude similar to this. They began, therefore, "to
rejoice and praise God with a loud voice, for all the
mighty works that they had seen ; " " and cried,
saying, Hosanna to the son of David : blessed is the
King that cometh in the name of the Lord : peace ia
heaven, and glory in the highest." Then the vast
throngs joined in a mighty chorus, and all expressed
in the loudest and fullest manner their homage for
the great King. They no longer feared the enemies
of the Messiah. They no longer heeded the warn-
ings of the government and the threats of priests and
Pharisees. They knew that their leader, who had
proved his power to raise the dead, could defend
them against any foes, against even the combined
armies of the world. If the gates of the city should

190 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

be shut against them ; if the Roman forces should
be gathered and ordered to obstruct their progress,
they were confident that tlie foe would be instantly
overcome, and the gates of the city forced open. The
enthusiasm of the hour and tlie grandeur of tlie occa-
sion miii:ht have reminded them of those sublime
words of the Psalmist : " Lift up your heads, O ye
gates, and be ye Ufted up, ye everlasting doors, and
the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King
of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of
fi^lorv."

From the conduct of the disciples on this occasion,
the followers of Christ in all ages may derive a les-
son of practical importance. They may learn the
necessity and the obligation that they are under to
publicly make known their attachment to Christ.
Though the vast majority of the earth's inhabitants
may be too much immersed in the cares and vanities
of life to heed the claims of the Messiah ; though the
proud and self-righteous may deem his doctrines too
humiliating for their acceptance ; though the learned
may prefer reason to faith, and their philosophical
speculations to a revealed system of moral truth, yet
those who have felt the love of Christ in their hearts,
and experienced the blessedness of his instructions,
and of the great salvation which he has provided,
should be willing to make a public acknowledgment
of their gratitude and their indebtedness to the Mes-
siah. If we have secured the pearl of great price,
shall we hide the treasure from the gaze of others ?
If we have become the sons of God, shall we refuse
to acknowledge our spiritual parentage ? If we are

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 191

the candidates for heavenly honors, and the heirs of
an everlasting kingdom, shall we be ashamed of our
prospects and om- inheritance ? Let the words of
Christ be remembered, " Whosoever shall be ashamed
of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man
be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory,
and in his Father's, and of the holy angels." On that
grand trimnphal occasion, in which the Father, the
Son, and the holy angels will participate, the splen-
dors of which will be more dazzling than the sun,
and all the glories of the material universe ; an occa-
sion, compared with which the scene before us is
but a passing shadow, multitudes will desire most
intensely to join the throngs, and unite in the an-
them, Hosanna to the son of David. But having in
this world been ashamed of Christ, and having feared
the ridicule of scoffers and the threats of the enemies
of Jesus, he will, on that glorious day, be ashamed
of them. It is a law of Christ's kingdom, that those
who would reign with him in the future, must suffer
with him in the present life. If one would share in
the honors of a heavenly triumph, he must first pass
through the dangers and struggles of the battle field,
and thus have his valor and faith tested, and those
moral qualities developed, that will fit him for the
services and joys of a higher state of being.

As the vast throng pressed through the gates of
the city, there was one body whom their shouts
struck with deep consternation. The sanhedrim had
resolved that this worker of miracles, whose fame
was so rapidly spreading over Judea, should perish.
They had even gone so far as to give public notice,

192 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

that if any one knew where Christ was, he should
make it known to the proper authorities, that he
might be apprehtMided. Yet, notwithstanding this
order had been issued, the people had risen up in
mass, and were paying royal honors to the object
of the rulers' maliee and hatred. He whom tliey sup-
posed had hidden himself away in some obscure
cave or dark thicket, to escape the vigilance of the
officers of government, was at that moment entering
the city, riding at the head of a triumphal and enthu-
siastic procession, whose songs and shouts were ring-
ing through the streets of the ancient metropolis, and
echoinsr amons: the mountains that are round about
Jerusalem. In their amazement and fear, the mem-
bers of the sanhedrim scarcely know what course to
pursue. They would gladly seize him, who in broad
daylight is riding through the streets. But they
dread the popular commotion that would follow so
rash a measure. The fear of the people held them
back, as it had done on former occasions. They
were obliged, therefore, to sit and listen to the swell-
ing and stirring song : " Hosanna, blessed is the
King that cometh in the name of the Lord."'

But there were some Pharisees who mingled in
the crowd, and watched, with feelings of contempt
and fear, the unusual spectacle before them. Prob-
ably they were attracted partly by curiosity, and
partly by a desire to stop a movement which, in their
estimation, was the offspring of fanaticism. Having
tried in vain other means to check the rolling tide
and silence the multitude, they at last went to Jesus,
and said to him : " Master, rebuke thy disciples."

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 193

" Put an end to this unlawful demonstration and
these seditious speeches, that endanger the state and
disturb the public peace. Stop this excessive rejoic-
ing and these songs of praise, and such high honors
as only the most illustrious heroes should receive."
Jesus, turning upon them, replied : " I tell you, that
if these should hold their peace, the stones would
immediately cry out." If, after such demonstrations
of power, and such a career as he had passed through,
the hearts of men were not moved, and strong emo-
tions were not stirred within them, the very stones
and other inanimate objects would become vocal
with his praises. For such an exhibition of power
and wisdom and love, the world had never before
witnessed, and probably would never again witness.
As there is but one sun in the heavens, so there is
but one Saviour of mankind; but one, the light of
whose example is brilliant and powerful enough to
fill the whole earth.

The Pharisees having listened to Christ's reply,
*' said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail
nothing? Behold, the world has gone after him."
They felt that the tide of popular favor was too high
for them to restrain it by their personal opposition,
or by the decrees of the sanhedrim. They must wait
for the waves to be rolled back by forces or influences
that were not within their control. Nor was it long
before the surges began to recede, and other cries
were heard, though it is not so clear, as some have
supposed, that they came from the same multitude.

The hero and his mighty train having entered the
city, the inhabitants were greatly excited, and came
17

194 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

forth from tlieir houses and from the marts of busi-
ness, and inquired, " Who is this," that comes with so
much pomp and such demonstrations of joy ? The
multitude replied, This is Jesus, the illustrious prophet,
the fame of whose mighty deeds and sublime virtues
is filling the world. Having reached the temple, and
there again exerted his miraculous power in healing
the blind and the lame, the very children took up the
song and sung, " Hosanna to the Son of David." At
this the displeasure of the chief priests and scribes
was greatly increased. They were apparently
shocked at what they had heard, and in astonish-
ment they asked Jesus, "Hearest thou what these
say?" Is it right or proper that these children
should apply such language to so humble and ob-
scure a person as yourself? Jesus said unto them,
" Have ye never read" in the Psalms of David, " Out
of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast per-
fected praise." If the words of prophecy were ful-
filled in their hearing, they need not wonder nor
complain. If, too, they were resolved to be silent,
and to be insensible of the virtues and achievements
of the Messiah, God might see fit to use even feeble
instruments to express the praises of his beloved
Son. And the condescension of the Saviour appears
in his readiness to accept the tribute from these little
worsliippers. Doubtless the tones of those sweet
voices lingered long in his ear, and mitigated the
sorrow of those tragical scenes which soon followed
this joyful triumph.

" What arc tliosc soul-reviving strains
"Which echo thus from Salem's plains 1

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY. 195

What anthems loud, and louder still.
So sweetly sound from Zion's hill ?

Lo ! 'tis an infant chonis sings,
Hosanna to the King of kings :
The Saviour comes ! — and babes proclaim
Salvation, sent in Jesus' name.

" Nor these alone their voice shall raise,
For we will join this song of praise ;
Still Israel's children forward press
To hail the Lord their righteousness.

"Proclaim, hosannas loud and clear;
See David's Son and Lord appear !
All praise on earth to him be given,
And glory shout through highest heaven ! "

XVI

CHRIST WEEPING OYER JERUSALEM.

"AXD WHEN HE WAS COME NEAR, HE BEHELD THE CITY AND
AVEPT OVER IT, SAYING, IF THOU HADST KNOWN, EVEN THOU,
AT LEAST IN THIS THY DAY, THE THINGS WHICH BELONG
UNTO THY PEACE : BUT NOW THEY ARE HID FROM THINE

EYES." — St. Luke xix. 41, 42.

It was prophesied that the Messiah would be a
man of sorrows and acquainted with grief: but
there were some circumstances which fiUed him with
deep anguish ; an anguish that found vent only
throuirh his tears. The intensity of his feelings at
sucli times, no human mind can realize. Indeed,
much of his inner life, and of the workings of his be-
nevolent heart and earnest soul, were hid from mortal
view. No eye could read the burning thoughts and
deep emotions that were in the sacred breast of the
Saviour of mankind. He viewed the world and its
interests, man and his destiny, from a stand-point
whicli no fmite being can reach. In his survey of
this theatre of human action and human responsi-
bility, lie took in a range of interests and conse-
quences such as none but an infinite mind could

CHRIST WEEPING OYER JERUSALEM. 197

grasp. He saw in their fulness and solemnity the
relations that man sustains to his Maker. He knew
the nature and value of the human soul; knew its
capabilities to advance in knowledge and virtue, and
its susceptibility to happiness or misery. He could
see down the long track of eternity. Its splendid
palaces and its gloomy prisons ; its celestial songs
and joys ; and the smoke of those fires that are
never quenched, were every hour full in his view.
He could trace the results of holiness or sin, infinitely
further than the most profound and far reaching of
created beings. Hence, every word that he uttered,
and every action that he performed, were fraught
with a meaning which baffled human comprehension.
His teachings contain volumes of truth, the seals of
which have not yet been broken. It is true there is
much that is plain ; but there is more that is obscure.
Light breaks in upon us from his sublime utterances;
but what is known compared with the unknown, is
like what we see of the starry heavens, compared
with the invisible glories beyond. These bright
points that we call stars, are not the universe of the
infinite God ; neither are the few doctrines that we
gather from Christ's lips, the whole of the great sys-
tem of moral truth.

When, too, the Son of God weeps, there is a pro-
found meaning in his tears. There is a depth to his
sorrow that we cannot fathom. No ordinary calamity
draws forth his tears. No temporary evil causes his
sacred bosom to heave with emotion. When he
wept at the grave of Lazarus, he doubtless had be-
fore his vision all the tombs that were upon the earth.
17*

198 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

He saw the dead of many j^cnerations sleeping in
their silent resting-places. The funeral processions
of four thousand years passed in review before him.
The weeping sisters who were in the group repre-
sented the mourners of all ages. They stood in the
place of a vast multitude whose hearts had been
broken. And Jesus wept, as the thought pressed
upon him that he was in a world over which death
reigned ; that the busy millions who had crowded
this planet had been swept before the great destroyer,
and that all the living w^ere travelling towards the
same dark, dark valley.

As he approached Jerusalem, and reached an
eminence that overlooked the city, a thousand asso-
ciations and feelings rushed upon his mind. The
Tcry name of the city w^as significant, and was con-
nected with all that is sacred in the religious history
of C4od's chosen people. As he gazed upon the
metropolis reposing in its beauty and magnificence
amid the mountains, he thought of the extraordinary
events and wonderful displays of divine power, of
which it had been the theatre. He recognized in it
the dwelling-place of Jehovah ; the spot selected for
the visible manifestation of the divine presence
among men. He thought of the illustrious kings
who had occupied its palaces ; of the tribes that from
the surrounding regions had come up to worship ; of
the prophets, wlio had within its walls enjoyed bright
visions and enrapturing views of the heavenly world.
He remembered the songs that David had sung, and
his vivid and eloquent descriptions of the favored
city. He would gladly have repeated the Psalmist's

CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 199

exclamation : " Beautiful for situation, the j oy of the
whole earth is Mount Zion." He would gladly have
responded to the call, " Walk about Zion, tell the
towers thereof. Mark ye well her bulwarks, con-
sider her palaces ; that ye may tell it to the genera-
tion following." He would gladly have continued to
" pray for the peace of Jerusalem," and to have
echoed the benediction. " Peace be within thy walls
and prosperity within thy palaces."

But he could not exult over the city ; for he thought
of the sins and guilt of her inhabitants, who had
been so highly blessed by heaven. He called to mind
the fact that they had killed the prophets, and stoned
them that were sent unto them. His own person
they had treated w^ith contempt. The mighty mir-
acles which he Awought within the city made no salu-
tary impression upon their minds. His teachings
they despised ; his doctrines they rejected. " He
came unto his own, but his own received him not."
Yet that city he loved with a devotion that never
abated. We find him lingering around it, and seek-
ing to instruct and save its inhabitants, notwith-
standing their ingratitude and wickedness. He could
say from the heart with the captive Jew, " If I forget
thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her
cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth." And as expressive
of his intense love, we hear him exclaiming, " O Jeru-
salem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered
thy children together, as a hen gathereth her chickens
under her wings, but ye would not." He desired
above every thing else to protect them from the im-

200 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

pending storm. lie desired to see their hearts puri-
fied ; the veil of hypocrisy torn from them ; their use-
less formalities broken up, and the temple filled, with
sincere and devout worsliippers. But, alas, they
were about to fill up the measure of their iniquity by
crucifying the Lord of glory; and he foresaw the
terrible doom that awaited the city. In imagination
he saw the armies of Titus marching against it, to
slay its inhabitants. He saw their tents pitched, and
the siege commenced, that proved so destructive to
human life within the walls. He saw the fearful
attack of the enemy; the walls crumbling; the
strongest fortifications giving way; the palaces, and
the glorious temple itself, wrapped in flames. He
saw the frantic inhabitants rushing from house to
house, in the vain attempt to escape from their ene-
mies. He saw in imagination the streets through
which he had often walked, covered with blood, and
he heard the cries of agony from the suffering and
the dying. The whole scene was pictured before his
mind as a reality, and hence his tears. Hence his
grief, which no language can express, and no finite
mind conceive.

Xor was it simply the temporal ruin that was to
befall the city which excited his sorrow. He saw
calamities beyond the burning of palaces and the
death of the body. While weeping, he said, " If thou
hadst known, at least in this thy day, the things
which belong unto thy peace; but now they are hid
from thine eyes." They possessed the sacred oracles,
and liad every opportunity for becoming acquainted
with the divine character, laws, and government.

CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 201

Repeated messages from the eternal throne had been
sent to them. They had received supernatural evi-
dences of the divine favor. The writings of Moses
and the prophets were read in the hearing of all the
people. It would seem as though the sweet Psalms
of David would have softened their hearts, purified
their lives, and elevated their conceptions of religious
truth. Under the guidance of his inspired pen, they
might have been led into green pastures, and beside
the still waters of salvation. They might, with him,
have taken delight in the law of the Lord, and have
meditated day and night upon the sublime precepts
which had been given by the supreme legislator of
the universe. They might, under his teachings, have
studied the heavens, and heard the very stars declare
the glory of God. They might have made the Lord
their rock and their fortress ; thek high tower, safe
from the invasions of every enemy. They had the
assurance, that as the mountains are round about
Jerusalem, so the Lord is round about them that fear
him.

The sublime and glowing prophecies of Isaiah
were enough to kindle the ardor and sustain the
religious faith of the nation. Often they heard his
soul-stimng cry, " Awake, awake, put on thy strength,
O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusa-
lem, the holy city." Often those who had wandered
from the faith of their fathers heard the invitation :
" Come now, let us reason together : though your sins
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Whatever there was in these ancient writings, sub-

202 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

lime in doctrine, beautiful in poetic imagery, ele-
vating in lofty thought, and true grandeur of style, —
whatever there was sacred in truths that had come
from Jehovah, were so many distinct and powerful
attractions to bind the Jews to the true religion. The
temple itself was an enduring monument of the
divine favor. It stood before the people, the pledge
that there were other temples and another Jerusalem
and a higher worship, to wliich they should aspii*e.

Besides, they enjoyed the personal presence and
instructions of the Lord of glory. They watched
his footsteps ; gazed upon his benignant counte-
nance; heard the words of heavenly wisdom and
love as they dropped from his lips ; and almost felt
the beatings of his sympathizing heart. We have
the records of his life, but they had the life itself.
We have reports of his discourses, but they listened
to his divine eloquence, heard the melody of his
voice, and witnessed the glow, fervor, and earnest-
ness with which he unfolded the great doctrines of
life and immortality. We have the testimony that
he "went about doing good;" but they experienced
his acts of charity, his tender regard for the afllicted,
his compassion for the penitent. We have heard of
the wonderful display of his miraculous power, but
they saw the sick healed, the blind receiving their
sight, the lepers restored, and the dead raised to life.
They saw the glorious attributes of tlie Deity shin-
ing through his life. They had the living Shekinah,
God manifest in tlie flesh.

Yet, notwitlistanding these great spiritual advan-
tages, they did not know the things that belonged

CHRIST WEEPING OVER JERUSALEM. 203

unto their peace. They knew them intellectually^
but they did not reach their hearts, and regulate
their conduct. Their pride, in being so highly dis-
tinguished above other nations, destroyed all spuit-
uality in their devotions. Faith degenerated into
mere superstition. Worship became a round of
formal rites and useless ceremonies. So apparent
was their formalism, and so gross was their hypoc^
risy, that the Saviour, with all his kindness and com^
passion, could not at times restrain his indignation.
" Woe unto you," said he, " scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye devour widow's houses, and for
a pretence make long prayers. Ye pay tithe of
mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the
weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and
faith. Ye make clean the outside of the cup and of
the platter, but within they are full of extortion and
excess." And in contrast with this, when the Saviour
thought of the moral elevation that they might have
reached, and the character for piety, charity, and
faith, that they might, under such advantages, have
secured, he was filled with the deepest sorrow. He
wept over the city, exclaiming, " if thou hadst known,
at least in this thy day, the things that belong unto
thy peace ! " If they had but meditated upon their
career ! if they had but realized whither their mad-
ness was carrying them! But they were rushing
with fearful rapidity towards the brink of destruction.
They knew not what pertained to their peace. Their
minds and hearts were swayed by tumultuous pas-
sions, and carnal desires. They were making no
preparation for that glorious rest that remaineth for

204 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

the people of God. The Priuce of Peace was
among them, but they rejected his claims, despised
his otfers of mercy, and were plotting his destruction.
With the treasures of divine truth scattered in their
pathway, they clung to the grossest errors and most
fatal sujierstitions. With the gates of heaven open,
und with the Son of God pointing them to mansions
in the skies, they prefer to walk the downward road
that leadeth unto death.

To the Saviour's exclamation he adds the words
of fearful import, " but now they are hid from thine
eyes." Though surrounded by celestial light, the
guilty inhabitants of Jerusalem were virtually in the
depths of moral darkness. They had so far blinded
their eyes, perverted their consciences, and hardened
their hearts, that they neither perceived nor felt the
influence of the great truths which had been re-
vealed to them. Their day of gi-ace was passed.
They had gone beyond the limits of divine forbear-
ance. God had dealt with them in mercy and in
judgment. He had warned, exhorted, entreated, but
all to no purpose. Their harvest time was now passed,
the summer of their hope was ended. " If our Gos-
pel be hid," said the apostle, " it is hid to them that
are lost, in whom the God of this world hath blinded
the minds of them which believe not, lest the light
of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image
of God, should shine unto them." A more fearful
state can scarcely be imagined, than that of a mind
that has once been enlightened, and enjoyed high
spiritual advantages, and afterwards blinded by the
god of this world. It is as though the sunlight

CHRIST WEEPING OYER JERUSALEM. 205

should gradually be withdrawn from the earth, and
the mantle of a perpetual darkness be thrown over
the objects of beauty and sublimity that constitute
the charm and grandeur of the w^orld's scenery.
How appalling it would be to the inhabitants of this
globe, as they saw at the close of a certain day the
sun sinking below the horizon, to be assured that it
would never rise again ; that the night upon which
they were entering would be without a morn ! How
fearful the consequences of such a calamity I How
ten-ible the gloom as days, weeks, and months roll
on, and yet no light! The marts of business are
gradually hushed, and deep silence reigns through
the streets. Trees and flowers droop, and vegetation
begins to decay. The ships rot at the wharves, and
their falling spars and masts sound like the knell of
universal death. The most crowded cities. become
vast cemeteries. Death stares all in the face, and
one after another the inhabitants drop, until the race
becomes entirely extinct.

But, great as would be such a calamity, what is it
compared with the fading away of the Sun of Right-
eousness, from a city whose benighted inhabitants
would never again see its light I What is the loss
of ships, and merchandise, and earthly cities, com-
pared with the loss of moral faculties and immortal
hopes and heavenly joys ! What is physical dark-
ness, compared with the darkness occasioned by the
hiding of God's countenance, and the final with-
drawal of all the means of grace !

The subsequent conduct of the infatuated Jews
showed how completely their minds were blinded.
18

206 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

When the Saviour had been arrested, and they were
standing before the judgment hall, how fearful was
the imprecation they invoked, when they cried, " His
blood be upon us and upon our children ! " How
little did th(^y realize the fearful import of those
words I How little did they think that the terrible
imprecation would be fulfilled to the very letter, —
that the inhabitants of the guilty city would them-
selves be crucified by hundreds, and their children
be scattered, and become a hissing and a by\vord
among all nations I Nothing but the most complete
moral blindness could have allowed them to pursue
a course fraught with so much peril and guilt. Had
they but listened to the teachings of the Saviour,
and learnt who it was concerning whom they cried,
" Away witli him, let him be crucified," they Avould
have shrunk back with infinite horror from the deed.
They w(nild have hailed him as their king, loaded
him with honors, prostrated themselves at his feet,
and rendered to him divine worship. But their malice
and hypocrisy were so intense, their base passions
raged with such fury, that they could not stop to
weigh evidence, or listen to argument, or compare
the words of prophecy with the life and teachings of
the Messiah.

This marked instance of spiritual blindness, with
its appalling consequences, brings to our view a prin-
ciple in the dealings of Divine Providence, of great
moment. It is the limitation connected with the
means of grace, as expressed in the declaration :
" My spirit shall not always strive with man." The
Supreme Ruler, in dealing with disobedient and way-

CHRIST WEEPIXG OVER JERUSALEM. 207

ward subjects, may send to them gi'acious messages,
and display to them his mercy ; but there are limits
to those messages and to that mercy. Truths re-
sisted are, after a reasonable season, withdrawn.
Motives may press to-day to the exercise of repent-
ance and faith, but to-morrow thek influence may
not be felt. If the God of neaven is excluded from
the soul, the god of this world will enter in, and
blind the minds of those that believe not. Such is
the nature of mind, that it must have some supreme
law, and some supreme object of affection. And it
should need no argument to prove the superiority of
the divine law over every other. It should need no
argument to prove, that the only suitable object of
our highest affections is the infinite Jehovah. For
what else in the wide universe can satisfy the long-
ings of an immortal spirit ? What other being can
sustain us in seasons of deep trial and oppressive
gloom ? To whom else can we look as we enter the
dark valley of the shadow of death ? Who but the
omnipotent and infinitely benevolent God can fur-
nish the soul with happiness through the ages of
eternity I O to be able to say, " this God is our
God," is the highest blessing conceivable I It includes
all that can be imagined or desired. It includes
crowns, kingdoms, mansions, and all that is honor-
able and glorious in the royal courts above ; includes
the treasures of knowledge for the intellect ; sympa-
thy and love for the heart; holiness for the spirit,
and boundless enjoyment for the soul. The height,
depth, length, and breadth of this blessing, no finite
mind can measure.

208 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

The grand object of Christ's advent was, to restore
man to his allegiance to his Maker. For this he
toiled, siiflered, and died. For this he taught in the
streets of Jerusalem, and worked his miracles, and
performed his deeds of charity. But that city was
too far sunk in iniquity to be recovered. Its inhabi-
tants had wandered too far from truth and duty to
be brousrht back.

XVII.

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT.

""When the son of man shall come in his glory, and all
the holt angels with him, then shall he sit upon the
throne of his glory : and before him shall be gathered
all nations : and he shall separate them one from an-
other, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats;
and he shall set his sheep on his right hand, but the

GOATS ON THE LEFT." — St. MatthcW XXV. 31-33.

We have in these and the following passages, a
description of the last judgment, given by the Judge
himself. Although, at the time of their utterance,
Christ was in circumstances rof humiliation and sor-
row, yet he predicted that the day would come when
the Son of man would appear in his glory, attended
by all the holy angels, and would take his seat upon
the throne of the universe. Before him would be
gathered the countless millions of all ranks and con-
ditions of men, who have trod upon this planet, and
acted their part upon this theatre of human life.
Those that sleep in the quiet churchyard ; those who
have fallen upon the battle field; the multitudes who
rest in the coral caverns of the ocean, will, at the
18*

210 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

sound of "the last trump, come forth. At tlie same
moment " the sun shall be darkened, and the moon
.shall not give her light ; the stars shall fall ; " " the
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat ; the earth also,
and the works therein, shall be burnt up." St. John,
wliile an exile upon the wild and barren isle of Pat-
mos, had a vision of the judgment scene, which he
thus describes : " I saw a great white thronCj and
him that sat on it ; from whose face the earth and
the heaven fled away ; and there was found no place
for them. And I saw the dead, small and great,
stand before God ; and the books were opened ; and
another book was opened, which is the Book of Life ;
and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works."
In entering upon this theme, I confess that my
mind is oppressed with a deep feeling of awe and
solemnity. The greatness of the occasion that will
assemble the whole human family before such a tri-
bunal,— the fearful majesty and power of the great
Judge, — the hopes and fears that will agitate mill-
ions of hearts, — the tremendous results of the decis-
ions of that day, viewed only in imagination, hang
as an awful cloud over my spirit. If there is but a
possibility, that from that cloud the thunders of divine
Avralh may one day be heard, and the lightning flash
of God's indignation strike the otfender, that possi-
bility is enough to solemnize and awaken anxiety in
every mind. O, if there is a subject in reference to
wliich we would ask with earnestness, " What is
truth?" is it with regard to the transactions and

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 211

results of the judgment-day? For this day brings
before us the crisis in our existence ; the point
towards which the influence of every thought, word,
and deed tends, and from which will date the fixed
character and eternal destiny of every soul.

The answer to the question which we have pro-
posed, is alone to be found in the teachings of him
who has declared himself to be " the way, the truth,
and the life." It is in vain to depend upon reason,
or philosophy, or any system of human ethics or
theology. We must accept the authority of him
who came into the world, " to bear witness unto the
truth." And he has affirmed that he will come in
his glory, attended with the insignia and messengers
of his power, to judge the Avorld, and to render to
every man according to his deeds.

In meditating upon this day, let us consider, in the
first place, the necessity of its appointment. This
necessity grows out of the relations that fallen man
sustains to his Maker. Having violated the laws of
the divine moral government, and incm-red the dis-
pleasure of an infinitely holy and benevolent Deity,
it becomes necessary that the transgressor should be
summoned before a suitable tribunal, to answer for
the wrongs of which he has been guilty. In con-
ceiving of any system of government established
over sentient beings, we naturally include the judi-
cial element as essential to its harmony and perfec-
tion. Laws must not only be framed and promul-
gated, but they must be enforced upon the principles
of right and justice. A human government without
tribunals before which to bring the offender, and

212 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

without an executive force to maintain the laws,
would be virtually no goveriniient. Civilized soci-
ety, in order to maintain order and perpetuate its
civilization, must have certain established principles
of action, to which the subjects of government must
conform. This is obviously essential to the comfort
and happiness of the community. And what is nec-
essary in order to attain the ends of the social com-
pact in every nation, even the smallest upon the
earth, is much more necessary in a kingdom that
stretches over millions of worlds, and includes
within its boundaries countless multitudes of think-
ing and responsible beings. If a human government
cannot exist without its judiciary department, much
more cannot the divine government, which is so inti-
mately connected with the stability of God's throne,
the glory of his character, and the welfare and hap-
piness of all his moral creatures. The Almighty
does not sit upon his throne simply to give advice to
his subjects. He has not framed a government
merely to make a show of authority before his moral
creation. He does not unfold to us the great pur-
poses of his administration, with the design of one
day abandoning those purposes, and allowing them
to come to naught. Reason as well as revelation
teaches us, that the purposes of an infinitely wise
and holy Being must be fulfilled, — that his authority
and throne must be sustained, though the heavens
and th(> eartli pass away. Let the authority of
Jehovali be in any way impaired, or let him fail of
enforcing liis laws, and tlie great ends for which he
has created a moral kingdom will be sooner or later

DESCRIPTION OP THE LAST JUDGMENT. 213

defeated. These ends are his own highest glory, and
the supreme happiness of his creatures, and one is
just as dependent for its accomplishment, upon obe-
dience, as the other.

Many may think that the laws of God are arbi-
trary, and are unnecessarily rigid and severe. But
instead of being arbitrary, they grow necessarily out
of the nature and constitution of a moral kingdom.
Were there no King upon the throne of heaven, and
were these worlds and their inhabitants to continue
in their present condition, there would be the same
necessity that there now is for the moral laws which
have been instituted for our government ; for without
them order and happiness could not be maintained
for a single day.

It is true that the divine government is now ad-
ministered over us, under an economy of grace. It
is true that the sentence against an evil work is not
executed speedily. But justice may be suspended
without being annihilated. God may, through the
atoning sacrifice which Christ has made, show mercy.
He may, in the plenitude of his love, make offers of
pardon to those who have rebelled against him, on
the condition that they exercise repentance and faith.
But there are a multitude of passages in the holy
Scriptures, which warn men against being deluded
by the idea, that, because God is a being of compas-
sion and longsufTering, therefore justice and judgment
are not the habitation of his throne. It is true that
infinite mercy is an element of his character. It is
true that he has sworn, as he lives, that he takes no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, but had rather

214 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

that they should tmn and live. Indeed, he is represent-
ed witli the warmth and earnestness of an affectionate
fatlier, as calling after his wayward children, " Turn
ye, turn ye, for wliy will ye die." In the parable of the
prodigal son, we have a most striking and vivid repre-
sentation of the feelings of Jehovah, towards those
who have wandered irom him. Though they return
to him poor, naked, destitute, and in want of all
things, he is ready to receive them, to embrace them,
to rejoice over their return, to place at their disposal
the riches of his kingdom. Yet he cannot and will not
compromise a single principle which lies at the basis
of his moral' system. Those principles are as immu-
table as his own character, and eternal as his throne.
We would in the next place inquire into the man-
ner in which the examinations of the judgment-day
will be conducted, and the principles which will con-
stitute the basis of its decisions. The Scriptures
inform us that " God w^ill bring every work into
judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be
good or whether it be evil." Also, " Every idle word
that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof
in the day of judgment." By this language, we are
taught that the thoughts and motives, as well as the
external acts, will pass under the inspection of the
omniscient eye. Every thing that affects, or relates
to tlie character, will be an object of examination,
and its bearings upon the soul's destiny, will be seen
by the individual, as well as by the Judge. Nor will
it be so diliicult to bring the events and thoughts of
a lonij^ life under review, as some may suppose. For
in this life we know that the mind, under certain cir-

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 215

cumstances, as for instance, under the apprehension;
of sudden death, is wonderfully quickened ; and nu-
merous instances have occurred where the power of
the memory was so great, as to bring before one in
a most vivid light, the whole of his past life. A
drowning person, who has afterwards been resusci-
tated, has experienced this in a most remarkable
manner. Event has followed event with the rapidity
of lightning. Even those that had long been forgot-
ten, come before the mind with as much freshness,
as though they had occurred but yesterday. Many
persons, who have lived in a state of alienation from
God, having stifled convictions of duty, and despised
the doctrines and precepts of the Christian faith,
have, with the prospect of death before them, felt in
anticipation the tremendous pressure of the transac-
tions of the judgment-day. With conscience as the
accuser, and the wicked deeds of a wasted life as
witnesses, and the reason as the judge, and the light
of eternity breaking in upon the character, the sin-
ner has been forced to look at the evidence, and
almost hear the dread sentence pronounced against
him. And if in this life the mind can become so-
quickened, as to recall with such rapidity the events
and deeds of the past, how much more will its pow-
ers be increased, when it becomes disengaged from
the body, and moves in a spiritual sphere, where all
the influences tend to stimulate it to the most intense
action.

But independently of the capabilities of the mem-
ory, an Almighty being has the power of bringing
instantly before each subject a history of the past

216 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

life that will enter into the minutest details, and
bring to light all the motives, feelings, and pm-poses,
of which the individual has ever been conscious. He
who created the human intellect is familiar with all
the avenues that lead to it, and with all the springs
and chords of association that are connected with
the memory and consciousness ; so that he can easily
bring every work into judgment with every secret
thing.

But not only will the character undergo a careful
inspection, but also all the influences and ckcum-
stances that have contributed to its formation. The
condition in childhood and youth, the early bias
given to tlie mind, the moral and intellectual advan-
tages which have been enjoyed, will all be taken into
the account. The basis of judgment with the heathen
will obviously be far different from that which will
be adopted in the case of those who have enjoyed the
light and blessings of the gospel. Those who have
sinned without the divine law, and especially with-
out the precepts and motives of the gospel, will be
judged without the law. The cities which Christ
visited, and where he ^\TOught his miglity works,
were placed on a far different footing from those
which, in ancient times, had not enjoyed the benefit
of his instructions and mhacles. In Capernaum,
Chorazin, and Bethsaida, the responsibility of the
inhabitants was immensely increased by what Christ
had done for them. In view of their impenitence
and guilt, he said unto them, " It shall be more toler-
able for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment,
than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 217

exalted unto heaven, shall be brought down to hell :
for if the mighty works which have been done in
thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have re-
mained until this day. But I say unto you, it shall
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day
of judgment than for thee."

These declarations bring vividly before us the
great fact, or principle, in the divine administration,
that there is uniformly an increase of responsibility
with an increase of light; and that our privileges
and circumstances will enter largely into the evi-
dences that will constitute the basis of the decisions
of the judgment-day. Probably the rigid principle
of justice will require that every shade of advantage
or disadvantage, shall bear upon the deliberations of
that solemn occasion. The child of vicious or infi-
del parents w^ill stand in a far different light from
one who has had the advantages of an early religious
culture, who has been taught to exercise reverence
towards God, and love towards the Saviour. Those
who appear before that tribunal, after having abused
the most tender and exalted religious privileges, and
slighted the most faithful warnings, and resisted the^
influences of earnest prayers, and the strivings of the
Spirit, will see even the inhabitants of Sodom and
Gomorrah entering heaven, before they gain admis-
sion. It is a terrible thought to conceive of any as
being excluded from the abodes of the blessed. But
is it not also a terrible thing that any, in the midst
of gospel light and the highest religious advantages,,
should trample underfoot the Son of God, and do
despite to the spirit of grace? Is it not a terrible*
19

218 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

thing, that wrong, injustice, cruelty, and oppression
should exist, where all the influences and precepts of
religion teach the A'cry opposite principles ? If my
emotions are excited at a view of some of the conse-
quences that will follow the judgment-day, they are
also strongly excited at a view of those awful forms
of sin, that render such a judgment necessary, and
such consequences inevitable. For it cannot be de-
nied, that there are evils and forms of wickedness,
the permission of which would be to us an inex-
plicable mystery, were we not assured that Christ
has appointed a day in which he will judge the
world, and render to every man according to his
deeds.

The basis of judgment which is laid down by our
Saviour, in his description of the last great day, is
worthy of our special attention. In extending his
welcome to the righteous, he is represented as saying,
'' For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat ; I
was thirsty, and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger,
and ye took me in," etc. And in uttering the sen-
tence, " Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire," he
adds, " For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no
meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I
was a stranger, and ye took me not in ; naked, and
ye clothed me not ; sick and in prison, and ye visited
me not." Then, in explanation, he declares, that he
is represented in every disciple that is the recipi-
ent of kindness, or the object of neglect. To my
mind, there is a significant meaning in these utter-
ances, that are to accompany the decisions that will
be made at tlie judgment-day. They teach directly

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 219

the necessity of the principle of benevolence in those
who will be at last admitted to the mansions of
gloiy. We need, it is true, to be sound in the faith.
We need to have a wellgrounded hope. But if we
appear before the judgment-seat with faith, hope, and
charity, we shall hear the announcement, " the great-
est of these is charity." Our system of belief may
be ably prepared, and may be carefully expressed in
the most precise and unexceptionable language ; it
may be defended with logical skill and irresistible
argument, and yet, unless it yields the fruits of the
spirit, — love, peace, gentleness, and kindness, — it
will be of little service to us here, and will avail us
nothing when called to stand before the judgment-
seat of Christ. We would have men contend ear-
nestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, but
we would also have them remember, that faith with-
out works is dead, and that he who has not the spirit
of Christ is none of his. I am aware that there are
persons in some denominations, full of zeal for the
mint, anise, and cumin of religion, and for rigidness
in the external forms and authorized formularies of
their faith, who sit in judgment upon those who dif-
fer from them in non-essentials, and are ready enough,
upon the most trivial grounds, to pronounce sentence
of condemnation. But I apprehend that many of
these human judgments will be, at the supreme tri-
bunal, reversed, and that men will find that Christ,
and he alone, has laid down the principles that will
constitute the basis of the decisions of that day.

But we hasten to speak of the results of the sol-
emn transactions of that occasion. We are informed

220 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

that the vast multitude that will be collected before
tlie judgment-seat, will be divided into two classes.
To those on the right hand the King will say,
" Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king-
dom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world." '' Then shall he say also to them on the
left, Depart from me, ye cursed, unto everlasting
fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." To the
righteous, the day will be one of triumph, of reward,
of rapture. It will be the glorious termination of a
career of toil and self-denial, of ardent hopes and
fearful doubts. The sahit will feel that now the
great question of existence is settled. The battle
with temptation, unbelief, and the world, has been
fought, and heaven has been won. Oh, with what
indescribable delight will the multitudes of the re-
deemed listen to those precious words as they fall
upon the ear : " Come, ye blessed of my Father."
Come to a kingdom, rich in every pleasure and
honor, abounding in treasures that can never perish,
in joys that can never fade, in honors that are im-
mortal. Come to a kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world. The nature and glory
of a kingdom upon which the Deity has been for
ages expending his infinite wisdom and power, obvi-
ously surpasses all human comprehension. We can
only exclaim, " Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man the
things which God hath prepared for them that love
him."'

But tliere is another sentence pronounced at this
dread tribunal, — a sentence that fixes the destiny of

DESCRIPTION OF THE LAST JUDGMENT. 221

other immortal souls, — a sentence, every word of
which will fall as a thunderbolt upon the con-
demned sinner. What volumes of awful meaning
are compressed within that one word, " Depart I "
Depart from what ? From God, — from heaven, —
from all holy society, — from all hope I Depart, —
never, never to return ! Can a human mind, under
such circumstances, listen to this word and retain its
consciousness ? It would seem enough to annihilate
every guilty auditor.

Is it not a solemn thought, and one that should
arouse the careless, that we are all every day prepar-
ing for the judgment? Our words and deeds are
every hour travelling before us to meet us at that
solemn tribunal. The Christian is preparing for it
by his devotions, prayers, faith, and charities. The
sinner is preparing for that day. The vicious man,
the infidel, the inebriate, the blasphemer, are all
making a terrible preparation. The miser, who clings
to gold as his God, is hastening to the judgment.
The fraudulent man, who is quietly and successfully
carrying on his systems of deception, is preparing for
his trial. The military leader, who cruelly sacrifices
human life, will be called to render in his account.
The cruel taskmaster, who crushes to the dust his
fellow man, is hastening to the tribunal of the Su
preme Master, who will render to every man accord
ing- to his deeds.

19*

XVIII

CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER.

"Tins DO IX REMEMBRANCE OF ME." — St. Lukc XXii. 19.

These words fell from the Saviour's lips under
circumstances of thrilling interest. His eventful life
upon the earth was drawing to a close. A series of
dangers and tragedies were to terminate in one great
tragedy. From his faithful disciples, who had shared
in his toils, he was soon to be separated. This was
his last supper with them. A small gathering, and
an insignificant occasion in the world's estimation.
Yet in reality a scene of greater moment than the
most costly and luxurious feasts ever held in palaces,
or graced by the presence of princes! True, the
table is simple, the guests are of humble origin, the
master of the feast presides over an entertainment
consisting only of bread and wine ; yet there is a
royalty here, and a power, that the world will one
day recognize and acknowledge. There are heroes
here, whose names and achievements will be remem-
bered, long after the names of kings and nobles are
forgotten. On this occasion, they make no eloquent

CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 223

discourses, or joyous utterances. For the crucifixion
is so near, that its shadow falls upon the scene, giv-
ing to it a sad and melancholy aspect. In the gi-oup
there is one false heart, — one spirit not in unison
with the rest, — a spirit that is plotting evil. In this
upper room, not only have the holiness and benevo-
lence of heaven their representatives, but human
depravity in its worst form has its representative.
Loyalty and treason, love and avarice, meet at the
same table. The Master of the feast, as he breaks
the bread, and passes around the cup, utters but one
wish, — gives but one command. " This do in re-
membrance of me." And the command was given
not to the tsvelve only, but to all his faithful follow-
ers down to the end of time. The Saviour designed
this supper as a perpetual monument, dedicated to
his memory; as a means of spiritual communion
with himself; as a type of that great feast which he
is preparing for his friends in his Father's kingdom.
What the ancient dispensation was to the new and
more spiritual system, — what the Shekinah in the
temple was to the presence-chamber of heaven's
King, this rite is to the joys and worship of a celes-
tial state of being.

We would consider some of the prominent fea-
tures in the history of Christ, which this ordinance
should impress upon the memory.

The topic most prominent at the table with his
disciples, was the sufferings that were just before
him. The very elements were impregnated, as it
were, with the tragical scenes that were about to
open upon Calvary. The broken bread represented

224 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

his mangled body, the wine his blood that was to be
shed. Death was in the feast ; but a death that was
to give life to the world, — a death through which
the grave and hell were to be conquered. And as
Christ knew that at the time of his arrest and cruci-
fixion, his disciples would be alarmed and scattered,
he desired to fasten the event upon their memory, by
associating it with this interesting rite. " With de-
sire," said he, " have I desired to eat this passover
with you before I suffer ; for I say unto you, I will
not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the
kincrdom of God."

o

Their next meeting would be at another feast,
when the trials and hazards of this life would be
over, and when the glories of the everlasting king-
dom would open upon their view. And to prepare
them for that scene, he desired that they should hold
in remembrance the great fact of his sufferings and
death. He wished to have it kept constantly before
their mindi^, to sustain their faith, and comfort them
with the assurance that a full and complete atone-
ment had been made for them. In seasons of doubt
and perplexity, he would have their eyes rest upon
the cross. When tempted to yield to despondency,
they were to remember that their great Master was
numbered with transgressors. When called to enter
the dark valley of death, they were to remember that
the footprints of the Lord of glory were impressed
upon that valley. And the great fact in the world's
history, to the whole church, and to all mankind, is
the atoning sacrifice of Christ. This looms up above
all others, — stands out by itself as the sun in the

CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 225

heavens, shedding light upon all other events, illumi-
nating every pathway of life ; carrying hope to the
despairing, joy to the sorrowing. It is the great fact
of theology, of history, of moral science. It reveals
the love and mercy of the Deity more intensely than
any other divine manifestation. And just before en-
tering upon his last great work, just before descend-
ing into the deep chasm that separates this earth
from the spirit world, he met his disciples to comfort
them, and to receive from them the pledge that he
should be remembered. And how deeply he pene-
trated the darkness and gloom of that grief, no finite
mind can answer. From its depths we know that
even the light of heaven was excluded, for from the
sufferer went forth the agonizing cry, " My God, my
God, why hast thou forsaken me ? " But now is that
chasm bridged over, and faith may travel on it, ex-
claiming in triumph, " Oh death, where is thy sting !
oh grave, where is thy victory ! " On the other side,
the pilgrim may descry a celestial light overhanging
the paradise of God. In the distance may be dimly
seen the outlines of lofty towers, of gorgeous pal-
aces, of cities that have foundations wliose builder is
God.

The bearing, therefore, of the sufferings of Jesus
upon man's immortal interests, is the great feature to
be held in remembrance. And in proportion to the
light shed upon this subject, do we feel a sense of
moral obligation, of duties to be performed, of dan-
gers in the future to escape, and of rewards to
secure. Out of the idea of a future life, and desire
for it, grow all religions, true and false, heathen and

226 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

Christian. Paganism is but a feeling after a knowl-
edge of a state of existence beyond the grave.
Mahometanism is grafted upon the longings of the
human soul for immortal happiness.

Now the scheme of redemption, with the revela-
tions made by its author, clear up the mysteries of
death to every mind that will exercise faith. " He
that believeth in me," said Christ, "shall never die."
Shall never die ! How full of meaning is this utter-
ance I How is the gloom of the sick chamber, and
the sadness of parting with friends, and the anguish
of apparent dissolution, dissipated by it! Death the
beginning of another life, pure, glorious, immortal!

Another fact to be remembered in connection icith
the holy supper^ is the divine character of the Master
of the feast. This do in remembrance of me. Of
whom ? A fellow-mortal ? So say some who would
rob him of the glory that he had with the Father
before the world was. An angel ? But the com-
mand has gone forth, " Let all the angels of God
worship him." A created being of the highest
order ? But we are told that " by him w^ere all things
created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vis-
ible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or domin-
ions, or principalities, or powers." Taking, then, the
Bible as our authority, we are driven to the conclu-
sion that he who instituted the supper, and wrought
out man's salvation, is none other than a divine
being, — the second person of the glorious Trinity.
To be remembered, therefore, includes a cordial
recognition of his divinity, — an acknowledgment
that he is the coequal Son of the Father. It is true,

CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 227

that when we attempt to analyze our conceptions of
a divine being, the mind is lost in the vastness and
profound mystery of the idea. At every efibrt, the
inquiry comes up to us from the depths of infinity,
" Who by searching can find out God, who can find
out the Almighty unto perfection ? " We may run
along the lines of thought over which inspired men
have travelled ; we may sit at the feet of Jesus, and
ponder over his utterances, " I and my Father are
one," — "Before Abraham was I am;" we may
traverse the works of creation and endeavor to form
a conception of the power that called such magnifi-
cence into being out of nothing ; that rolled the
planets in their orbits, and clothed the suns with
such splendor, and worlds with so rich a drapery of
flowers, and changing forests and variegated ver-
dure ; we may bow the knee in prayer, and, shutting
out the cares and vanities of life, plead for new and
inspiring views of the Deity, and the prayer may be
answered to the extent of our ability to comprehend
God, and yet the reality will be at an infinite dis-
tance from us. Our conceptions are imperfect, dim,
shadowy. The eternal throne is high above the
stars, surrounded by glories too dazzling for human
vision. The splendors of the celestial court no mor-
tal eyes can gaze upon. Much less can the essence
of Deity be penetrated by any finite mind. We
acknowledge, that of all mysteries the mystery of
the divine existence is the greatest. Were all others
explored and understood, this would remain. We
might solve all questions in science and philoso-
phy, — reconcile the apparently conflicting doctrines

228 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

in ethics, — measure the distances of the fixed
stars, the extent of the universe, — read with a
prophetic eye the history of the future, and yet the
mysteries of the divine being would remain un-
fathomed.

But all this should not deter us from striving after
the most vivid and exalted views of the Deity, that
are within the reach of finite powers. For our con-
ceptions of the Godhead necessarily give a coloring
to all our moral and religious views. Our thought
of God is the centre of our moral system, around
which our doctrines, opinions, and feelings revolve.

In remembering Christ, we are not only to call to
mind his divinity, but the peculiar features of the
divine character which he made the most prominent.
As a complete revelation could not be made, those
points were selected which bore most directly upon
man's welfare. The divine love was conspicuous in
the Saviour's history. This shone forth from all his
words and deeds. It illumined his pathway from
the manger to the cross. Upon Calvary it culmina-
ted, and thence spread over Jerusalem and Judea,
and is destined to encircle the earih with its benign
influence. The wisdom of the Godhead was also
displayed in the conception and execution of the
plan of redemption, — a plan so eminently adapted
to man's necessities, and to the claims of the divine
government.

As the friends of Christ, therefore, we should
meditate upon his divine nature and attributes, —
meditate upon them until they become, so to speak,
a part of our own spuritual nature. By dwelling

CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 229

upon them, our religious life will be quickened, and
the Christian will grow up " unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of
Christ." Feeding upon them will give strength to
the weak, courage to the desponding. It will enable
the departing saint to shout, " I know that my Re-
deemer liveth ! " I know that he is able to save unto
the uttermost all that shall come to him.

We lose much by the neglect of religious medita-
tion. We allow the cares of the world to absorb
our thoughts, and crowd out these mighty and soul
inspiring themes. We are content to feed on husks,
when a spiritual feast is provided in our Father's
house. We are satisfied with the grovelling pleas-
ures of earth, when, by a spiritual connection with
Christ, we may partake of the blessedness of his
divine nature, and be thrilled by those joys that are
the portion of celestial intelligences.

In connection with the celebration of the Last Sup-
per, we are also to remember the instructions of
Christ.

It is true that he did not unfold in regular order, a
system of theology. He established no school of
moral science for the exclusive instruction of the
refined and intellectual. He rather availed himself
of opportunities, as they occurred, from day to day,
to unlock his treasures. At suitable times, he scat-
ters broadcast over society his great doctrines, leav-
ing to others the work of gathering them up, and
recording them for the benefit of mankind. He
dropped truths by the wayside, in the lonely cottage,
when conversing with the penitent, or consoling the
20

230 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

afHicted, or comforting the dying. His system was
like nature, tlie storehouse of his imagery, irregular
thougli beautiful ; sublime like the mountains piled
together; })ure as the ?unlight; fresh as the dew, and
varieofated as the scenery and the flowers of sum-
mer. And in this form it was best adapted to the
mass of mankind. Had he taught in a dry, scholas-
tic style, bvit few would have listened to him. Had
he established seats of learning, only certain privi-
leged classes would have received his instructions.
But as his object was to enable the whole world to
reap the benefit of his teachings, he went out into
the open air, under the broad canopy of heaven, and
addressed the multitude. He placed himself in sym-
pathetic connection with the human heart in its
varied circumstances of want and sorrow. He pre-
sented truth under striking images and emblems, in
order that their beauty and force might be readily
appreciated by all his hearers. He himself was the
lis^ht of the world. His salvation was a fountain of
living waters, to which all who thirsted were invited.
His Father was the great Shepherd who loved and
would protect his flock.

These teachings, also, should be remembered with
implicit confidence in their truth. If they have
passed satisfactorily the test of every trial to which
they have been submitted ; if they accord with the
dictates of enlightened reason, and the previous rev-
elation of the divine will; if beside the internal evi-
dence of their truth, they are supported by miracles
and fulfilled prophecies, and by the holy life of their
Author, we are bound to receive them. If such

CELEBRATION OF THE PASSOVER. 231

proofs as these cannot be relied upon, I would ask,
what force is there in any evidences that may be
brought to bear upon a system of moral truth ?

The most vital questions in ethics and theology,
the Great Teacher has settled ; and his true follow-
ers will not spend their lives in agitating these ques-
tions, and in laying over and over again the founda-
tions of their faith. But, regarding this foundation
as forever settled, they will go on with the spiritual
structure, and attempt to realize the idea of the apos-
tle, when he says, " Ye are the temple of the living
God." While others make no progress for the want
of faith in the first principles of the Gospel, the true
believer will advance in moral truth. One doctrine
after another will open before his view. His facul-
ties will expand and be capable of grasping greater
truths. The soul will feel enriched by its treasures,
and being godlike in its pursuits, it will be godlike
in its happiness. If the study of the works of na-
ture and the discovery of her hidden laws, is attend-
ed with pleasure, — if the astronomer delights to
wander amid the stars, and view the harmony and
splendor of the heavenly bodies, how much more
glorious is it to walk amid the grandeurs of moral
truth, to read the laws which have been instituted
for the government and happiness of the moral uni-
verse.

Oh, if in remembering Christ we could remember
all the sublime truths that he uttered, — all the pre-
cious promises that he made to those who should be
faithful to him unto death ; could we live, and move,
and have our spiritual being in these glorious themes,

232 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

a new existence would open before us. Fresh foun-
tains of delight would spring up in the soul. We
should be ready to exclaim with the apostle, " Yea,
and I count all things as loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ my Lord." " Forgetting
those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, I press toward
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus." Oh, this would be life, — a life above
the vanities of earth, — above the frowns or applause
of the world, — a life unaffected by the sorrows or
the joys of earth, — a life mingling in with the life
of Christ, and flowing on with the progress of his
glorious kingdom.

But this remembrance of Christ, in order to fully
meet the Saviour's exhortation, must not only have
regard to the prominent features of his life and char-
acter, but must also call into exercise the strongest
and tenderest emotions of the soul. We are bound
to remember Christ with the highest admiration,
with the warmest gratitude and most intense love.
There are a thousand objects in nature, in the beau-
tics and splendors with which the earth is decorated,
in the changing seasons, in the storm and the sun-
shine, to excite our admiration. We regard with
admiration the career of distinguished heroes, the
growth and acliievements of nations, the progress of
science, art, literature. But what is there in all
these to awaken our enthusiasm compared with the
glory of tlie Saviour's career? What is there to fill
the soul with admiration, compared with the history,
character, and achievements of the Son of God?

CELEBRATIOX OF THE PASSOVER. 233

Behold him as the Great Physician in the streets of
Jerusalem, — as a teacher in the temple, — as a
preacher upon the mount, — as a sufferer in Geth-
semane, — as the Redeemer upon the cross, and say
if his character from every point of view does not
command our admiration and love ? Shall we clins:
to the frozen forms of religion, when we have before
us a Saviour so full of vitality, beauty, glory, and life-
giving power ? Can we at any time forget the debt
of gratitude that we owe to this infinite benefactor ?
No words, indeed, can express the obligation that we
are under to Jesus. We must wait until our powers
are developed in the heavenly world, before we can
approximate towards an expression of it. For all that
we are, and all that we hope to be, we are indebted
to Christ. He alone has disarmed death of its ter-
rors, and conquered our spiritual foes. He enables
us to enter the dark valley with composure, and
strengthens us with the sweet utterance, " Fear not,
for I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy
helper."

20*

XIX.

AGONY IN GETHSEMANE,

And he fell ox his face, axd frayed, satixg, o my
father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ;
xevertheless, not AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILT." — Mat-
thew xxvi. 39.

" The moon was shining yet. The orient's brow,
Set with tlie morning star, was not yet dim ;
And the deep silence which snbdues the breath
Like a strong feeling, hung upon the world
As sleep upon the pulses of a child.
'Twas the last watch of night. Gethsemane,
With its bathed leaves of silver, seem'd dissolved
In visible stillness ; and as Jesus' voice,
"With its bewildering sweetness, met the ear
Of his disciples, it vibrated on
Like the first whisper in a silent world.
They came on slowly. Heaviness oppress'd
The Saviour's heart, and when the kindnesses
Of his deep love were pour'd, he felt the need
Of near communion, for his gift of strength
"Was wasted by the spirit's weariness.
He left them there and went a little on.
And in the depth of that hush'd silentness,
Alone with God, he fell upon his face.
And as his Iicart was broken with the rush

AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 235

Of his surpassing agony, and death,

"Wrung to him from a dying universe,

"Was mightier than the Son of man could bear,

He gave his sorrows way — and in the deep

Prostration of his soul, breathed out the prayer,

' Father, if it be possible with thee.

Let this cup pass from me.' "

This remarkable prayer opens a scene of mel-
ancholy interest. The passover had been cele-
brated. The Saviour had delivered his farewell
discourse, — a discourse full of rich consolations and
glorious hopes. The hour was late as he left the
city with his chosen friends, and bent his footsteps
towards the garden of Gethsemane. The shadows
of night were falling upon the walls, temple, and
streets of Jerusalem ; but deeper and darker shadows
were falling upon the spirit of Jesus. He knew
what was before him. He knew the awful nature
of the tragedy which on that night was to open.
Passing the gate, now called Stephen's gate, which
was nearest to the temple walls on the north, he
crossed the brook of Cedron, and sought in the se-
clusion of Gethsemane, preparation of heart for the
trials that were before him. This garden was a
retired spot, situated at the foot of the Mount of
Olives, and was the favorite resort of Christ for
meditation and prayer. After the toils of the day^
he would often spend the whole night there in the
open air, dividing the hours between rest and com-
munion with the Father. Having reached the gar-
den, he took apart with him Peter, James, and John,
the beloved disciples, that they might be the honored

236 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

witnesses of his prayers and eonflicts. The same
who were with him upon the mount of transfigura-
tion, and beheld the glories of that scene, and heard
voices from the celestial world, were now admitted
to the dark chamber of the Saviour's sufferings.
They had followed theur Master in his journeys to
the cities and villages of Judea ; had witnessed his
miracles, — listened to his eloquent and heart-search-
ing discourses, — been his companions in his joys
and sorrows. But no scene of such thrilling and
overpowering interest had fallen under their observa-
tion, as that of which this memorable garden was
the theatre. There were sorrows here, and profound
mysteries, and agonizing prayers, and a baptism of
tears and blood, that were calculated to excite the
most intense and conflicting emotions.

In meditating upon this scene, the prominent
points that present themselves for our consideration,
are the agony of Christ, his destitution of the sym-
pathy of his disciples, and his entire submission to
the will of his Father.

From the nature of the case, we cannot expect
from the Evangelists so full and accurate an account
of what transpired on this occasion, as on others
that were more calm, and afforded greater facilities
for being reported. The night was dark ; the disci-
ples were extremely weary ; and their minds must
have been greatly excited, and filled with gloomy
forebodings. Yet the language that is used to ex-
press the agony of the Saviour, is the strongest
which could be employed. He is represented as
penetrated and overwhelmed with the most piercing

AGONY IX GETHSEMAXE. 237

sorrows. The words employed by St. Mark in the
original, signify a mixture of terror, amazement, and
heavy griefs, that cannot be expressed in language.
In one verse he represents the sufferer as encircled
with son-ows, that broke in upon him with such vio-
lence, as apparently to shut off all means of his
escape. One writer observes, "that Christ's con-
tinued resolution in the midst of these agonies and
supernatural horrors, was the most heroic that can
be imagined, and far superior to valor in single com-
bat, or in battle ; where in one case the spirit is
raised by natural indignation, and in the other by
the pomp of war, the sound of martial music, and
the example of fellow-soldiers." The expression in
the prayer, " If it be possible, let this cup pass from
me," reveals the depth of his agonies.

He had come, indeed, upon a mission of suffering.
He knew before his incarnation, that he should be
" a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." But
this cup he desired, if possible, might pass from him.
He could drink any other. He could face his most
violent and implacable enemies. He could receive
the insults, blows, and curses of the infuriated popu-
lace. He could look upon the cross, the nails, the
spear, and the iron clad soldiers, with comparative
composure. But this anguish he would gladly, if
possible, escape. He approximates towards an ex-
pression of it, in the declaration which he made to the
three chosen disciples, " My soul is exceeding sorrow-
ful, even unto death ; tarry ye here and watch with
me." His spirit is ready to faint and sink, and he
desires his friends to tarry near him, and watch and
pray.

238 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

The nature of this sorrow, with the various ele-
ments that entered into it, we cannot of course fully
explore. The Saviour had j)reviously passed through
severe struggles, with the world and with temptation.
He had encountered the opposition of bitter foes,
who had repeatedly attempted to take his life. His
grief and indignation had been excited by the hy-
pocrisy and deep iniquity of the Pharisees. He
had been tried by the Avant of stability and devotion
on the part of his professed friends ; by the unwil-
lingness of men to repent, and believe in him ; by the
slight impression which was made upon the minds
of the multitudes who witnessed his " mighty works;"
by the dilliculties which he everywhere encountered,
in convincing men of the spiritual nature and ends
of his kingdom. But this was the great conflict of
his life ; the great moral battle in which he encoun-
tered the combined forces of evil. This was the
crisis of his existence, — the crisis, I may say, in the
great work of redemption. Here the mighty tides
of influence, — of hostile moral forces met, and the
INIessiah is left to struggle in their foaming, raging
waters. He grasps, as it were, the arms of his disci-
ples, that they may help to sustain him. If he sinks
now, it is all over with the hopes of this apostate
world. What has been accomplished in the past —
miracles, benevolent deeds, eloquent teachings, and
severe trials — will not atone for sin. The sublime
work that called the Son of God from his glorious
throne, will remain incomplete, unless the floods of
this agony are passed through.

But still the question presses upon us, what con-

AGONY IX GETHSEMANE. 239

stituted that indescribable distress, that the Saviour
thrice prayed that he might, if it were possible,
escape? We obtain, I think, some clue to it, from
the words of prophecy, uttered as though the events
had already transpired. " He hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows ; he was wounded for our
transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities ; the
chastisement of our peace was upon him." He un-
dertook to satisfy the demands of God's violated
law, and to endure for us, as far as it was possible,
the wounds consequent upon our transgressions.
However great might be the burden and agonies
attendant upon achieving a full and complete re-
demption, Christ so loved the world that he was
resolved to carry the work through. And here in the
garden, just before his betrayal and arrest, and as
the last terrible tragedy was opening before him, he
felt the tremendous pressure of the vast undertaking
which he had assumed. Views of the enormity of
sin, and of its fearful consequences in the eternal
world, rolled in upon his mind like successive waves
from a fathomless ocean of son-ow. He saw the
necessity of divine justice as well as the blessedness
of divine mercy. He saw that the eternal throne
must be sustained, though all else should perish.
He saw how destructive and awful an evil sin was ;
that it tended directly to the subversion of all order
and authority ; that it broke in upon the happiness
of God's moral universe, and threatened its utter
annihilation ; that it would, unless checked, involve
the universe in one common ruin. He saw, too, the
state of the world that he had come to redeem and

240 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

bless ; its awful apostasy and deep guilt ; its malice,
treachery, cruelty, and systems of oppression. He
saw from what exalted heights man had fallen into
the deep pit and miry clay of sin. He saw and felt
too, what no human mind can conceive, or if con-
ceived, what no human language could express.
For in all om* endeavors to analyze the nature of
that suffering which was endured to atone for our
sins, we are completely baffled. After having ex-
hausted the power of language and of thought,
there are deptlis which we cannot reach. There are
perplexing mysteries which we cannot solve. There
is much said by theological writers upon this point,
but it amounts to but little. It does not touch the
reality, the essence of the thing. We are not in-
formed that Christ explained, even to his favorite
disciples, the nature of his sorrow. They saw his
insupportable agon}', heard his groans, listened to
his earnest cries to the Father, saw him sweat, as
it were, great drops of blood falling to the gi'ound ;
but into the deep causes of the distress, they could
not penetrate.

Besides being oppressed by the most vivid views
of the nature and consequences of sin, it is probable
that the sorrow of Christ was increased by the
agency of the powers of darkness. They would
naturally seize upon this occasion to make their last
desperate effort to break up the plan of salvation,
and thwart the divine purposes of mercy. They had
before attempted to make inroads upon the holiness
of the Saviour's character. They had sought oppor-
tunities to break down his integrity, and thus despoil

AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 241

him of his power. But from every conflict he had
come off a glorious conqueror. And now his event-
ful career was about to close. Should he triumph to
the last, the victory would be one from which the
powers of hell would never recover. The Conqueror
would be exalted far above all principalities and
powers, and have a name above every name. Hence
every means ^vas doubtless used by the evil spirits,
on this dark and horrible night, to destroy the Lord
of glory. How they on this, or on former occasions,
gained access to his mind, or what forms of tempta-
tion or torture they used, we cannot determine. It
is enough for us to know, that there are avenues of
communication between this and the world of lost
spirits, and that devils were permitted to assail the
virtue of the Son of the Most High. Indeed, we are
assured that upon the great moral battle field of life,
we are all called upon to contend against these ma-
lignant forces. " For we wrestle," St. Paul says, " not
against flesh and blood " alone, " but against princi-
palities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world." There cannot, therefore,
be a doubt, but that the agony of the Saviour was
greatly increased by these foes.

It is also probable, that his sufferings were aug-
mented by the consciousness of the base ingratitude
of mankind, the implacable malice of the Jews,
the treachery of Judas, and the Aveakness of Peter
and his fellow disciples. The events of the future
were full in his view. The terrible picture was be-
fore his eyes, in all its dark colorings and gloomy
features. He was about to be betrayed, and by a
21

242 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

professed friend ; aye more, by a chosen apostle, one
wlio had sat at the table with him, listened to his
teachings, and shared in his favors. He was about
to be crucified by the very class whom he had come
specially to bless. Peter would deny him with oaths
and curses, and his bosom companions, in the hour
of danger, would flee and abandon him to his fate.
Nay, more ; the scheme of redemption, sealed with
his precious blood, would be rejected by thousands,
and would for nineteen centuries, at least, be un-
known by millions of the human family. He fore-
saw the bitter opposition that his system would en-
counter, the arguments that would be framed against
it, the terrible storms of persecution that would rage
asfainst those who should embrace his truth and be-
lieve on his name. Can we longer wonder at his
exclamation, " My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even
unto death."

The conduct of the disciples on this memorable
occasion^ cannot escape our notice. Human nature,
in its best estate, affords but a frail dependence.
But in this instance, it seems to us wonderful, that
the disciples could be so indifferent to what was
transpiring before tlieir eyes, and feel so little sympa-
thy for their Master while he was enduring such
agony. The scenes throitgh which they had just be-
fore passed, were of the most exciting and thrilling
character, and they could not but have been im-
pressed with the conviction that some startling event,
or gloomy tragedy, was about to happen. They
knew that Judas had gone out, carrying with him
the heart of a traitor, and tliey had reason to expect

AGONY IX GETHSEMANE. 243

that at any moment his fatal purpose might be exe-
cuted. Peter, with all his professions of devotion
and firmness, had been distinctly told, that before
morning he would three times basely deny his Lord.
The disciples had been warned, notwithstanding
their apparent willingness to lay down their lives for
Christ, that they would that night flee in terror and
desert him. Yet at the very moment when they
should have exercised the utmost vigilance, and
afforded to Christ their cordial sympathy, they are
found sleeping. Jn order to secure the special coop-
eration of Peter, John, and James, they are taken
apart from the others, and witness the distress de-
picted in the Saviour's countenance, and hear his
agonizing cries. Yet Christ, in the height of his
sorrow, came to them three times, and found them
overcome by sleep. Filled with the utmost amaze-
ment and grief at their conduct, he exclaimed,
" What, could ye not watch with me one hour?"
What, could ye not, at a moment like this, a moment
pregnant with infinite consequences to mankind, a
crisis that awakens the deepest interest among the
angelic hosts, and in the remotest regions of the uni-
verse, could ye not watch and give me your sympa-
thy for one short hour ? Is your love so feeble, or
your faith so weak, or your views of spiritual and
eternal realities so faint, that you can sleep at such a
time as this ? " Yet it appears that no appeals or
entreaties could arouse them, and the Saviour is left
to struggle with his sufferings alone. While viewing
the scene, we may well exclaim, in the words of the
prophet, " Who is this that cometh from Edom, with

244 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

dyed garments from Bozrah ? this that is glorious in
his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength?
I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Where-
fore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments
like him who treadeth in the wine fat? I have trod-
den the wine-press alone, and of the people there
was none with me. I looked, and there was none to
help ; and I wondered that there was none to up-
hold ; therefore my own arm brought salvation."

We cannot suppose that the divine nature of
Christ partook of these intense sorrows ; although it
is difficult for us to conceive of the Saviours passing
through such agonies, without his whole being sym-
pathizing with them, or in some way being affected
by them. But his earnest desire for the support and
sympathy of his disciples, as well as an unwilling-
ness to admit that divinity, is left under any circum-
stances to experience suffering, lead us to the conclu-
sion that his human nature was called to endure this
tremendous weight of sorrow. Regarding, therefore,
the event in this light, we can readily conceive that
there was an intensity of meaning in Christ's in-
quiry, " Could ye not watch with me one hour ? "
During his whole life there had not been a period
when lie stood in such need of the support which his
disciples could afford. He does not, indeed, ask-
them to suffer with him. lie does not ask them to
lay down their lives for him, or to stand in the front
of tlie l)att]e ground and receive the blows of his
eiKMuies. He simi)ly asks that they watch and pray
with him. And besides doing this to sustain him,
lie had another object in view, that they might them-

AGONY IN GETHSEMANE. 245

sejves be fortified against temptation. The night
was one that was to try their souls as well as his
own. Their love, their constancy, their faith, were to
be put to a severe test. The traitor would soon ap-
pear. The soldiers were already putting on their
armor. The foes were lighting their torches. The
mob was gathering its forces. In the glare of the
torchlight might be seen within the city groups of
rough, fiendlike beings, conferring together how they
might capture their victim. While these prepara-
tions were going on, while even the multitude were
pouring through the gates, and were following the
traitor towards the garden, the disciples slept. They
could not watch one hour, — not even to prepare
themselves for the terrible conflict. Hence, when
the trial came, they were swept before it.

The idea that it was the human nature of Christ
that suffered on this occasion, is strengthened by the
fact that an angel was sent to support and comfort
him. We can hardly suppose that a finite and cre-
ated being could afford any essential aid to a divine
sufferer. But the incarnate Christ might be sus-
tained by the help and sympathy of an angel ; and
though the disciples slept, yet we are assured that
spiritual beings watched with the Lord of glory, and
were ready and anxious to relieve him of this op-
pressive load of sorrow.

The last point to be noticed is, the entire submis-
sion to the divine ivill, ivhich Christ exercised under
these intense sufferings. In the previous history of
the Saviour, his submission to the Father had been
marked and uniform. But it had never been brought
21*

246 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

to SO severe a trial as at the present time. On no
former occasion do we hear from Christ's lips, ex-
pressions of such intense feeling and acute suffering
as on this memorable night. With his soul pierced
through by a thousand sorrows, he prays, that if ii
be possible this cup might pass from him. If in any
way his great work can be accomplished, and the
world saved, without a continuation of the horrors
of that night, he desires that the cup of affliction
may be taken from his lips. If it be possible to sat-
isfy the demands of jus4:ice in any other way, — if
infinite wisdom and love can meet the emergency
through any other process, or by any other measures,
he desires that it may be done. Yet, at the very
instant when his agony is the most intense, and he
is praying with all the fervency of his soul to be de-
livered from it, he says to the Father, '' Not my will,
but thine, be done." " Let the tide of sorrow roll
on, — let suffering be piled upon suffering, and
agony upon agony, until the very blood starts from
my veins, until life itself become extinct, if such is
the will of an infinitely wise and holy God."

\Vhat a sublime triumph have we here ! How do
the very spirit of grandeur, and the essence of glory
emerge from the gloom and horrors of that scene!
We almost forget the suffering, in the splendors of
this victory. Pain, temptation, the powers of hell,
all are conquered by this mighty act of submission.
Christ's will is absorbed in the divine will, so that
they both constitute a unity.

The entire reliance of the Saviour upon the
Father's wisdom and goodness, is here presented in

AGOXY IN GETHSEMANE. 247

the most vivid manner. He knew that the Judsfe of
all the earth would do right. He knew that his
Heavenly Father would not inflict upon him one un-
necessary sorrov\-. He knew that if it were possible,
the cup would pass from him. He knew that the
nature of God was love, and that he delighted only in
^ the happiness of the universe ; and therefore he was
willing to leave his soul in his hands.

Thus the glorious Redeemer prepared himself for
all that might befall him. He received in the garden
his baptism of sorrow, and was ready for whatever
the malice and cruelty of his enemies might inflict
upon him. Insults, mockings, scourging, the cross,
Calvary, these do not move him. His spirit was
crucified, before his body was nailed to the cross.
His soul was wounded, before the spear entered his
side. The powers of hell tried their strength upon
him, before he was seized by human arms, and con-
demned by human authority. What a lesson does
this submission teach us ! How ready ought we to
be, under our lesser sufferings, to say to the Supreme
Father, " thy will be done." To bring us to merge
our wills in the divine will, is the grand purpose of
religion. And not until we do this, shall we meet
the requisitions of the divine law, and find rest for
the soul.

XX.

TREACHERY OF JUDAS

" Betratest thou the son of man with a kiss ? "
Luke xxii. 48.

Such was the mild, yet withering remark, with
which Christ met the signal of Judas's treachery.
The traitor entered the garden at the head of a large
and promiscuous multitude, composed of Roman
soldiers, the officers of the chief-priests and Phari-
sees, and the ruoe and vulgar from the lowest class
of society. Some carried lanterns and torches, while
others were armed with swords and staves, as though
they had come out to arrest a notorious robber, or
encounter a banditti of outlaws. As is not unfre-
quently the case, when a great benefactor or reformer
is to be put down, we find in this group that the ex-
tremes of society meet. The proud Pharisee, and
the officers of the chief-priests, mingle with the
most degraded of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and
they make common cause against the Messiah.
Judas, fixing his eye upon Christ, approached him in
a manner indicating the greatest respect and affection.

TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 249

'As had been the custom of the disciples, he saluted
him with a kiss, at the same time saying, " Hail,
jNIaster ; " words expressive of his best wishes for
Christ's welfare and happiness. The Saviour, after
surveying the motley group that stood before him,
turned his benignant countenance towards the
traitor, and said, " Betrayest thou the Son of man
with a kiss ? " Then stepping forward with the
greatest coolness, and intrepidity of manner, he said
to the multitude, " Whom seek ye ? " They replied,
Jesus of Nazareth. He frankly said, " I am he," and
•with this utterance there went forth such a power, or
such impressions of his divine majesty and glory,
that his enemies recoiled and fell to the ground.
Dm-ing this conversation it is mentioned as a signifi-
cant fact, that Judas, who had formerly mingled
with the disciples of Jesus, went over and stood
with his enemies. The fatal act of his life had
been committed, and he now casts in his lot with
the vile rabble and iron-hearted soldiers who seek
the life of the innocent Jesus. Anticipating, proba-
bly, a conflict betw^een the friends and foes of Christ,
he desired to be on what he deems the strongest
side, and to receive the protection of those into
whose hands he had betrayed his Lord. He pre-
ferred to trust in an arm of flesh, — in power based
upon injustice and cruelty, rather than in him who
had stilled the waves of the ocean, and established
his authority over the elements and laws of nature.
Since the time of Christ, the name of Judas has
stood before the world as the type of all that is dark,
deceitful, and base in the human character. In

2o0 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

tracing out his career, altliongh we may be led
tlirough pathways filled with shadows that fall from
his character, and may feel the chill from his cold
treachery, and shudder at the fate of one who had
been so highly favored and blessed, yet the contem-
plation may serve us in our experience, and render
us watchful of dangers that surround the footsteps
of all.

In the first place, notice the naturs and aggravation
of this crime. All persons will admit that treachery
is one of the most hateful and destructive in the cat-
alogue in human sins. It involves the double guilt
of committing a wrong, and abusing confidence, or
the sacred obligations of friendship. Judas sinned
with the officers and men who sought to arrest
Jesus, and he also sinned in using his knowledge of
the person of Christ, and of his private retreats, to
betray him into the hands of his enemies. He gave
the deepest hue to his crime, by professing such
affection for Christ, while he was plotting his ruin.
Had he come out openly and denied him, and been
known as a foe to the Messiah, and his system of
doctrines, the case would have been different. But
up to the very hour, and in the act of betraying him,
he manifested the warmest affection. As thous^h his
recent and short separation from his Master had oc-
ca.<ioned him pain, he appeared to- rejoice at meeting
him again, and saluted him in the most friendly
manner. There was a smile upon his countenance,
and a kiss upon liis lips, while tlie blackest treachery
lurked in his heart. With his mouth he said, " Hail,
Master,-' while his spirit said, Hail to the blood-

TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 251

thirsty wretches who seek the life of the Lord of
glory! Hail to this mob who come with torches,
and clubs, and swords I

Impressed with the deep hypocrisy that marked
his conduct, the Saviour put to him that searching
question, " Betrayest thou the Son of man with a
kiss ? " Is there no other way in which you can
make me known to my adversaries ? Must you em-
ploy your professed love, as a means of betraying
me into the hands of these cruel men ? There was
a profound meaning in this inquiry, a meaning that
must have filled the Saviour with grief. That one
could be found on God's earth so lost to all honor,
sense of right, gratitude, or friendship, as to com-
mit such an act, must have stung his heart with
anguish !

The exalted privileges and rich spiritual bless-
ings which the traitor had enjoyed, add to the
enormity of his crime. He had walked and con-
versed with the Messiah. He had been received to
his heart as a bosom companion ; had been admitted
to his private councils, and chosen as one of the
twelve apostles. He had witnessed the miracles of
Christ, and could not but have regarded them as
manifestations of divine power. He had listened to
his instructions in public and in private, — had been
moved by the eloquence of his lips, — the sublimity
of his doctrines, and the boldness, ardor, and faith-
fulness that characterized his public ministry. His
mind had been enlightened and enriched by those
private interviews which the Saviour often held with
his disciples, and when he opened to them the treas-

252 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

ures of infinite wisdom. lie must have felt, while in
the presence of the Saviour, listening to his fervent
prayers, and the immortal truths upon which he de-
lighted to dwell, that he stood in the portals of
heaven, surrounded by a celestial atmosphere, and
almost in view of the glories of an immortal state.

The virtues and holy principles which governed
the life of Christ, also passed under his inspection.
He had the amplest opportunities for judging of the
purity of his motives, and the holiness of his life.
He could not fail to be impressed with his sincerity,
divinity, and authority.

In spiritual advantages, therefore, Judas occupied
the highest position that w^as attainable on earth.
He who was " the way, the truth, and the life," was
his instructor. He who announced himself to be
" the light of the world," was his guide. The worker
of mighty miracles was his friend. The being whose
biography was condensed in the declaration, " he
went about doing good," was his example. The
king, whose empire was destined to extend until it
embraced all the nations of the earth, was the Mas-
ter whom he served. Could he have asked for clear-
er light, or richer advantages, or a more honored or
sublime position ?

Besides, he had been distinctly warned of his
crime, and of the awful consequences that would
attend it. While sitting at the table with the other
apostles, at the institution of the last supper, he had
heard from Christ the distinct declaration, " Behold,
one of you shall betray me." The announcement
fell as a tliunderbolt upon the ears of the eleven,

TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 253

but Judas knew its import. They, startled by the
astounding tidings, cried out, as though distrustful
of their own minds and purposes, "Lord, is it I?"
The traitor, struggling to maintain his composure,
and fearful that his silence might fasten the suspi-
cions of his brethren upon himself, at last muttered
out, "Lord, is it I?" Christ replied, "Thou hast
said." Thou art the person. Judas also heard from
the lips of Christ the withering denunciation, " Woe
unto that man by whom the Son of Man is be-
trayed ; it had been good for that man if he had not
been born." The traitor, therefore, enters upon his
crime with a full knowledge of its heinous nature,
and warned of its guilt and destructive conse-
quences.

Let us next inquire into the motives that prompted
him to commit an act of such glaring atrocity. Of
the early history of Judas, nothing is certainly
known. The most prominent fact related of him
by the Evangelists, previous to his betrayal of the
Saviour, was his displeasure towards Mary for anoint-
ing Jesus with so much precious ointment, which
might have been sold for three hundred pence and
given to the poor. St. Luke maintains that he really
cared nothing for the poor, but being the treasurer
of the company of apostles, and being a thief, he
desired to gain possession of the money and appro-
priate it to his own use. His disappointment in not,
in this instance, accomplishing his ends, seems to
have produced in his mind the determination to
make up, if possible, the loss in some other way.
Hence, knowing the anxiety of the chief priests to
22

254 LIFE SCEXES OF THE MESSIAH.

arrest his Master, he went to them and said, " What
will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you ?
And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of
silver."

The feelings and motives which induced him to
become a follower of Christ, and the state of his
mind when he was chosen an apostle, we have no
means of accurately analyzing. We can hardly
suppose that he was actuated purely by avarice in
joining such a company; for certainly there was
nothing in their appearance or prospects to encour-
age the hope of large worldly gains. Having wit-
nessed the miracles of Christ, and participating in
the general expectation that a powerful king was
soon to» appear, who would deliver the nation from
their Roman oppressors, he might have been influ-
enced by ambitious motives, and have thought that
he would in some way promote his worldly interests
by espousing the cause of Christ. Or, like the
young ruler who came to Christ to know what he
must do to be saved, he might to some extent have
been sensible of his sinfulness, and his need of relig-
ious instruction. His keen remorse, and his readi-
ness to retiun the money to the chief-priests, when
he found how terrible would be the results of his
treachery, show that he was not altogether insensible
to the power of conscience, and a sense of justice.
He may have supposed after he made the bargain to
betray Clirist, that his ^Master would not really be
arrested and put to death, but would, by the exercise
of his miraculous power, escape out of tlie hands of
liis enemies, as he had done on former occasions.

TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 255

But, whatever may have been the original motives
which actuated Judas in joining the company of
Christ's disciples, it is clear that at the close of his
career, he was in subjection to the base principle of
avarice. The growth of this principle in his mind,
had probably been gi'adual. Step by step, he had
reached that point, when he w^as ready to perform
the infamous act of betraying the Son of God for
thirty pieces of silver.

The power of this principle must have been tre-
mendous, to have worked against the light and spir-
itual advantages which this man enjoyed. We can-
not but believe that, as in any other mind similarly
situated, there was a constant struggle going on be-
tween the love of money, and the desire for future
and immortal happiness. But he allowed the god
of this world to rise above the better feelings of his
nature, and gain the mastery over him. We are
told that Satan entered into him, and instigated him
to the commission of this crime. Whether it was
the personal Satan, or the devil of avarice, matters
but little. For the power of avarice is such, that it
may properly be termed a demon. It has, from the
time of Judas to the present hour, exercised over
many minds a most despotic sway. It has dried up
the fountains of affection, — obliterated the noblest
feelings of the soul, — blasted every virtue, — broken
the power of conscience, and led its victims to tram-
ple underfoot justice, right, and humanity. To-day
it rules tens of thousands with a rod of iron. It
obstructs the progress of God's truth, — consoli-
dates various forms of iniquity, and neutralizes the

256 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

forces that are at work to elevate, ennoble, and bless
mankind. Judas, bargainiiig with the chief-priests
to betray his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, is the
representative of a large number of constituents.
He has had, in all ages, his successors, as well as the
other apostles.

His history illustrates, too, what depths of iniquity
a man may reach w^hile enjoying the highest relig-
ious advantages, and placed in circumstances cal-
culated to develop the noblest principles of his
nature. He was under the dominion of selfishness
while in the society of the great and divine example
of benevolence. He was an infidel while listening
to the w^ords and doctrines of him who spake as
never man spake. Satan was in his heart, while the
title of apostle was attached to his name. With
the infinite treasures of a heavenly and everlasting
kingdom within his reach, he preferred thirty pieces
of silver. With the opportunity of securing an im-
mortal fame for integrity, faithfulness, and the
noblest heroism, he took as his portion immortal
infamy. Wliat a lesson there is in his history!
What an emphatic testimony to the importance of
associating inward principle with outward advan-
tage! Judas walked with the King of kings and
Lord of lords, — witnessed his mighty miracles, —
lived under the sunlight of his perfect character, —
but neglected inward culture, — neglected secret
prayer, self-examination, and tlie duty of fortifying
his mind ai^ainst easilv b(*settini? sins. Hence the
ra})i(l growth of tliis principle of avarice, even when
surroun ed by such exalted s])iritual privileges. His

TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 257

mind was blinded by it, so that he could not perceive
the excellence of divine truth, the beauty of the
divine character, and the glory of the hopes that
Christ held out to those who are faithful to his
cause.

We would next notice the consequences of this crime
to the traitor himself. When Judas found that his
Master was condemned, and that he probably would
be put to death, he was stung with remorse at the
thought of his infamous deed. That he, an apostle,
honored with the appointment by Christ himself,
favored above millions of his fellow men, admitted
to the table with the select few around which Christ
met his disciples for the last time ; that he, under
such circumstances, should have betrayed the Lord
of glory into the hands of his enemies, was a thought
that pierced his soul with the keenest anguish. He
could not endure it. He could not live under it.
With those thirty pieces of silver in his pocket, ex-
istence to him was a curse. He therefore seeks
relief by hastening back to the priests with the
money. Returning it to them he said, with deep
and horrible emotion, " I have sinned in that I have
betrayed the innocent blood." Now mark the reply
of his employers. With the coldest indifference,
characteristic of such men, they said, " What is that
to us ? see thou to that." Judas went to these men
hoping to get sympathy, or some relief to his feel-
ings. He could not go to his former companions,
for he had most basely deserted them, and cruelly
betrayed their Master. The priests and elders, in the
first instance, had doubtless received him with cor-
22*

258 LIFE SCEXES OF THE MESSIAH.

diality and the appearance of friendship. But when
he is in trouble, and goes to them with his soul
crushed under a mountain weight of remorse, they
coldly and sneeringly reply, " What is that to us?"
" What concern have we with your sorrows ? We
bargained with you to perform a certain deed, and
we have fulfilled our part of the contract, while you
have fulfilled yours. We knew that you were en-
gaging in a mean and infamous business, but what
is your suffering to us? See thou to that." Oh,
with what increased anguish and horror of mind
must he have listened to those scorching words !
How they must have rung in his ears and clung to
his memory !

But had he possessed much knowledge of human
nature, he might have anticipated such a result.
For this is the way in which wicked men uniformly
treat those whom, by their money, they have made
the tools of their base designs. After their own
wicked purposes are accomplished, they care not
what calamities may befall those whom they were
so ready at first to caress and flatter. Their lan-
guage to the traitor always is, when he begins to
reap the fearful consequences of his treachery,
" Wliat is that to us ? see thou to that." Whether
the man has betrayed his country, or his religion, or
freedom, or temperance, or any good cause, his fate
among his villanous employers is the same.

In the case of Judas, even the innocence of Christ
was not a matter of the least consequence to his
bitter enemies. They cared no more for Judas's
opinion upon this point, than for the anguish which

TREACHERY OF JUDAS. 259

his infamous deed had wrought in his soul. Their
object was, right or wrong, just or unjust, to seize
Christ and to execute him. They felt that it was
dangerous to the state, dangerous to formalism and
to their whited sepulchre system of religion, to have
a person of so much piety, boldness, and earnestness
in maintaining God's truth among them ; and hence
their aim was to crush him, without regard to the
means which it might be necessary to employ.

It is a fact, however, v/orthy of notice, that the
two men on the earth the most interested to find
Christ guilty, bore witness to his innocence. Pilate,
with all his anxiety to please the people, and pro-
mote his own popularity, said, " I find no fault in
this man;" and Judas acknowledged, "I have be-
trayed innocent blood."

The traitor, failing in his effort to obtain sympathy
or relief, " cast down the pieces of silver in the tem-
ple, and departed and hung himself." Unable to
endure the remorse of conscience which his guilt oc-
casioned, he, in despair, put an end to his own life,
thus adding the crime of suicide to that of treachery.
To such tragical results do the small beginnings of
sin often lead ! The love of money, which is the
root of all evil, by being cherished, blasted his char-
acter, destroyed his life, and ruined his soul.

" The thirty pieces clown he flung,

For which his Lord he soUl,
And turned away his murderer's face

From that accursed gold.
lie cannot sleep, he dares not watch ;

That weight is on his heart,
For which nor earth, nor heaven have hope,

Which never can depart.

260 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

"A curse is on his memory,
We shudder at his name ;
At once we loathe and scorn his guilt,

And yet we do the same :
Alas ! the sinfulness of man.
How oft in deed and word
I "We act the traitor's part again.

And do betray our Lord ! "

XXI.

TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST.

" Whex the morxixg was come, all the chief priests and
elders of the people took counsel against jesus to
put him to death. and when they had bound him,
they led him away, and delivered him to pontius
PILATE, THE GOVERNOR." — Matthew xxvii. 1, 2.

In the trial and condemnation of Christ, we have
an affecting illustration of the forbearance of the
sufferer, in connection with a development of some
of the strongest principles of man's depraved heart.
Human wickedness, in the form of hypocrisy, had
reached its highest point in the treachery of Judas.
But, in the scenes which followed the arrest of
Christ, we have other phases of depravity, w^hich
stand out with fearful prominence. We have the
divine virtues of the Saviour brought in close and
vivid contrast with injustice, malice, contempt, and
the most wanton cruelty. His enerriies having
seized and bound him, led him away to the house
of Annas, who had, a short time before, held the
office of high-priest, and who was the father-in-law
of Caiphas. In the mean time a council of the San-

262 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

hedrim had been summoned at the palace of the
high-prie:?t, \vhither the Saviour was soon taken to
undergo an examination. Such was the intense in-
terest which the occasion excited, that although it
was now midnight, yet all the chief priests and the
scribes and the elders had assembled, and were wait-
ing to receive Jesus, and to participate in his trial.
The innocent sufferer, bound like a criminal, was led
by the soldiers into the presence of this proud and
sanctimonious body of men.

The case is opened by the high-priest in a manner
contrary to all usage, and to the law of Moses, by
which they professed to be governed. That law, as
well as the authority of tradition, required, that wit-
nesses should be examined, and the testimony or
evidences which they furnished, be carefully weighed.
But instead of proceeding in this manner, for the
obvious reason that they had no witnesses to exam-
ine, and no real charges to substantiate against
Christ, the high-priest immediately questioned him
respecting his disciples and his doctrines. He had
really no desire to ascertain the truth as to his teach-
ings and followers, but wished to draw something
from the Saviour's lips that might be the ground of
an accusation against him. Contrary to every prin-
ciple of justice, he aimed to make Christ bear wit-
ness against himself. Indeed, his mind, as well as
that of the priests and scribes, was already made up
to sacrifice the victim before him, and all that he
waited for, was a favoral)le opportunity or a plausi-
ble excuse for carrying into execution his purpose.

In reply to his inquiries, Christ, in a calm and

TRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 263

dignified manner, answered : " I spake openly to the
world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the
temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in
secret I have said nothing." The question of the
high-priest seemed to carry with it the insinuation,
that Christ had some secret plans or wicked plots
against the authorities of the nation, to accomplish.
As there was no specific charge that could be brought
against him, this artifice was resorted to, as a means
of concealing the real state of the case.

But Christ at once appeals to his public teachings
and public career, for proof of his innocence of so
base a charge. He declares that he taught not only in
the synagogue, but in the temple whither the Jews
always resort. For three years he had been in the
habit of proclaiming his doctrines ii:wthe most public
manner. Large assemblies of the Jews had listened
to his discourses and his discussions upon the vari-
rious topics of biblical knowledge. Indeed, there
were men present in this very council, with whom
he had discussed the doctrines of theology. And if
they know of any thing objectionable in his teach-
ings, or in his life, why do they not speak out, and
at once accuse their victim ? If they have any thing
to say, why do they not embrace this favorable op-
portunity ? The victim is before them bound, and
completely in their power. INIost of his followers,
panic-struck, have fled. One apostle has turned
traitor, and another is just outside the door denying
his Lord with oaths and curses. If they have any
real accusation to bring forward, certainly now is the
time to produce it. But the dignified hypocrites are

264 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

all silent. There comes no voice from the whited
sepulchres ; the dead men's bones cannot speak. No
one in the council can utter even a plausible false-
hood against the Saviour.

Then Christ, after explicitly stating that in secret
he had said nothing, inquired of the high-priest,
" AVhy askest thou me ? " " Why do you put such
questions to one who has been arrested as a criminal
or an outlaw ? " " Ask them which heard me,
what I have said unto them ; behold, they know
what I have said." Now this was certainly fair
and honorable. There were hundreds of persons in
Jerusalem, friends and foes, who had often listened
to his teachings, and who might be brought on to
the stand, and be made to testify in the case.

When, however, he had thus spoken, one of the
officers, probably observing the great embarrassment
into which the Sanhedrim was thrown, by the evi-
dent innocence and fairness of their victim, and
boiling over with rage at seeing how^ little progress
the learned judges were making in the case, turned
round and struck the Saviour a blow in the face,
saying, answerest thou the high-priest so? Such an
act was not only a gross outrage upon Christ, but it
was in direct violation of the rules and usages of the
court. Yet it illustrated a principle in human na-
ture which we often see acted upon, under similar
circumstances. When wicked men cannot meet the
arguments of eminent benefactors, or the earnest de-
fenders of God's truth, they usually resort to vio-
lence, and make up in blows and tortures what they
lack in sound evidence. The inquisitions of the

TRIAL AXD CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 265

Romish church, and, indeed, all forms of persecution,
are based upon this idea. The judges, seated in
dark, inquisitorial halls, fit suburbs of the bottomless
pit, are surrounded with their instruments of torture,
to be used in accomplishing their ends, when justice
and right fail them.

But, observe the spirit of meekness and submission
with which Christ received the insult. He simply-
replied, " If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the
evil ; but if well, why smitest thou me ? " Probably
the members of the Sanhedrim were in hoj^es that
Christ would in some way resent the insult, and thus
give them the opportunity of accusing him, and of
relieving themselves from the awkward position
which they occupied. But being disappointed ift
this, their next step was to seek false witnesses who
would testify against him, and thus give to their
proceedings some show of justice. For, although
they were in great haste to have Christ executed be-
fore the feast, yet they were anxious to protect the
influence and authority of their court, which had so
long occupied so conspicuous a position in the aflairs
of the Jewish nation. But, notwithstanding they
opened the way for the most infamous wretches in
the kingdom to bear witness against Christ, yet they
could not find any who agreed in their testimony, or
furnished evidence suited to their purpose. At las-t
two false witnesses presented themselves, who, per-
verting language which Christ had used respecting
his death and resurrection, declared upon oath, " this
fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God^
and to build it in three days." But, besides the want
23

266 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

of agreement in the testimony of these two wit-
nesses, the accusation could amount to nothing more
than a charge of boasting, or the use of an allegori-
cal expression.

However, the council were resolved not to be
baffled in their endeavors to destroy the victim of
their malice and jealousy. Accordingly, in the morn-
ing they assembled again, and after the most false
and trivial accusations had been brought against
Jesus, the high-priest, probably hardly knowing what
course to pursue, stood up, and said to Jesus,
"Answerest thou nothing? What is it that these
witness against thee ? But Jesus held his peace and
answered nothing," for the plain reason that there
was nothing which deserved an answer. No real
crime had been brought against him. His whole
life had been searched ; false witnesses had been
invited to take the stand and perjure themselves, and
yet nothing could be found that was in the least de-
gree injurious to his character. No one could prove
that he had taught a single false doctrine, — or inter-
fered with the rights of a single individual, or man-
ifested the least ambition, or committed an act
worthy of censure.

The high-priest, however, becoming every moment
more anxious to bring the trial to a close, said to
Christ, " I adjure thee by the living God that thou
tell us whether thou be the Messiah, the Son of the
blessed God?" Jesus replied, "Thou hast said
right, I am." And " I say unto you. Hereafter shall
ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of
the power of God, and coming in the clouds of

TRIAL AND COXDEMXATIOX OF CHRIST. 267

heaven." Then, at the call of the whole council,
Christ, unwilling to retract or to violate tlie truth,
even to avert from him the impending destruction,
reaffirmed his Messiahship, and his claim to being
acknowledged the Son of God.

The high-priest, at once, as though filled with
pious horror at what he had heard, rent his clothes,
saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further
need have we of witnesses ? This bold utterance of
Christ, while it aroused tlie indignation of his ac-
cusers, was at the same time a most solemn and
emphatic testimony from his own lips in favor of his
divine nature, and the glory of his mission. He
doubtless had in his mind that sublime passage re-
corded in the seventh chapter of Daniel : " I saw in
the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of

man came with the clouds of heaven And

there was given him dominion, glory, and a king-
dom, that all people, nations, and languages should
serve him : his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that
which shall not be destroyed." How intensely in-
teresting is the spectacle here presented of the
Saviour, with these sublime images and glorious
expectations floating in his mind, while he stands as
a bound criminal in the midst of such bitter and
implacable foes ! While they are in a fever of ex-
citement, thirsting for his biood, and waiting only
for an opportunity to crush him, in defiance of all
justice and right, he is calmly contemplating the
period when he shall appear in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory, and his kingdom shall

26S LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

embrace all the nations, languages, and empires of
the earth.

But that which to the Messiah is a glorious real-
ity, is regarded by his persecutors as the grossest
blasphemy. The high-priest, in view of it, appeals
to the Sanhedrim for their opinion as to the punish-
ment due to such a crime. They declare, on the
strength of the testimony which they have heard,
that he ought to be punished with death. Accord-
ingly, as no one dares to appear in his defence, or
raise even a question as to the right or expediency of
such proceedings, they " all condemn him to be guilty
of death."

This awful sentence having been passed, the rab-
ble and soldiers, who had the prisoner in custody,
rushed upon him, and treated him with the greatest
insolence and cruelty. Some even went so far as to
buftet him, and spit upon him. In derision of the
title which he claimed, they blindfolded him, and
then struck him with the palms of their hands, say-
ing, " Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who it is that
smote thee." " And many other things, blasphe-
mously spake they against him." Had he been a
notorious criminal, or the vilest malefactor, they
could not have treated him worse.

The next important scene opens before the judg-
ment hall of Pontius Pilate, the governor. As the
Jews, while in subjection to the Roman government,
had not the power to put any man to death, they
broiiglit Christ before the governor, to induce him to
execute the sentence which they had passed. On
arriving at the palace, they were so conscientious

TRIAL AND COXDEMNATIOX OF CHRIST. 269

that they could not enter in, because it was the resi-
dence of a Gentile, and they would be polluted,
and thus prevented from eating the remaining sacri-
fices connected with the passover. They could seize
the innocent Jesus, and insult and abuse him ; they
could devour widows' houses, and for a pretence
make long prayers ; they could trample underfoot
the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy,
and faith ; but they could not step within the door
of a Gentile, lest they should be defiled ! Pilate,
therefore, willing to yield to their religious scruples,
came out and managed the case with his usual art.
He despised the Jews, and yet wished to retain his
popularity among them, particularly as the influence
of his administration had been much impaired by
several acts of arbitrary injustice. He would gladly
have saved Christ from the fanatical opposition
wiiich he at once saw w^as raging against him, and
yet he was not the man to sacrifice his personal
interests to the claims of justice, or the rights of in-
nocence.

His first inquiry was, " What accusation bring
you against this man ? " They replied, " If he Vv^ere
not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him
up unto thee." Without specifying any particular
charge, they make this general statement, deeming it
enough to warrant the interference of the governor.
But he, not caring to assume any responsibility in
the case, directed the accusers to take him and judge
him according to their own law. But they said, " It
is not lawful for us to put any man to death." We
have tried this malefactor and condemned him, and
23*

270 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

now we bring liim to you to execute the sentence.
But still the question })resses, what is the crime of
which he is guilty ? The deputies of the Sanhedrim,
knowing that a heathen ruler would not sympathize
with them in tlieir religious difficulties, at once
changed the ground of their opposition, and had the
audacity and wickedness to frame the following
charge : " We found this fellow perverting the na-
tion, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying,
that he himself is Christ, a King." This accusation,
they supposed, would excite the jealousy of Pilate,
and win him over to their cause. To this charge,
the chief priests and elders added others, and such
was their violence and intense excitement, that Pilate
felt that he must take some action in the case. He
therefore called Jesus into the Pretorium, and asked
him, saying, " Art thou the King of the Jews ? ■' In
reply, he assured him that he was, in a certain sense,
a King; but he added, "my kingdom is not of this
world." " I am not guilty of the charge of having
interfered with the civil affairs of this country, nor is
it my purpose to build up a worldly empire. ]My
kingdom is a spiritual one, established and to be
carried forward by spiritual means. " To this end
was I born, and for this cause came 1 into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth." Such
was the noble declaration of the Messiah, while
standing in the presence of the heathen ruler. Under
no circumstances does he forget the sublime objects
of his advent to earth. He came to bear witness,
not only to the particular truth that he was the King
of the Jews, but to all truth, — to the doctrine of a

TRIAL AXD CONDEMXATIOX OF CHRIST. 271

spiritual Deity, — to the great principles of right,
justice, and mercy, — to the reality of a future life,
and a blessed immortality. He came to dissipate
the darkness of error, to fill the moral firmament
with stars of hope, to pour upon the world the eflul-
gence of divine and everlasting truth.

After this interview with Christ, Pilate returned
to the people who had been waiting to learn the re-
sult of the examination, and said, " I find no fault at
all in this man." This announcement, so contrary
to their expectations and wishes, filled them with the
greatest rage. " They were the more fierce, saying,
He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all
Judea, beginning from Galilee, to this place."

The allusion to Galilee induced Pilate to send
Christ to Herod, who had jurisdiction over that
country. Thus he hoped to pacify the people, and
to be relieved from the responsibility of deciding a
case of so much perplexity. Herod, who had heard
of the fame of Christ's miracles, was very anxious
to see him, and to satisfy his curiosity in witnessing
the displays of his wonderful power. But, the
Saviour had no disposition to present before this
wicked prince the evidences of his real character
and divine origin. He had never, as we have seen,
wrought a miracle merely to satisfy a vain curiosity,
and certainly, in this case, he was resolved not to
cast pearls before swine. Even the questions which
were put to him, he did not answer, for he well
knew the spirit which prompted them. Herod, there-
fore, having in mockery arrayed the prisoner in a
gorgeous robe, and exposed him to the derision of

272 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

his soldiers, sent him back to Pilate, regarding him
as a religious enthusiast, rather than a criminal
worthy of punishment. Pilate, baffled in his plans
to tjet rid of the case, and vet more convinced than
before of the innocence of Christ, again assured the
people, that after an examination by himself, and also
before PJerod, nothing was found in the man worthy
of death. But, as the excitement and opposition
continued without abatement, Pilate resorted to
another expedient by which he might formally recog-
nize the validity of the sentence pronounced by the
Sanhedrim, and yet save the innocent sufferer from
death.

It was usual at the feast of the passover, for the
Roman governor to release to the people any one
prisoner whom they might desire, whatever might be
the crime charged against him. It appears that they
had in custody " a notable prisoner, named Barabbas,
which lay bound with them, who had made insur-
rection in the city, and who had committed murder
in the insurrection." This man was publicly known
as an infamous robber, who had infested the high-
ways, and was one of the most dangerous men to be
at large in society. When, therefore, as was the
custom, the people called upon Pilate to release to
them a prisoner, he asked them whom they would
liave, Barabbas or Christ ? He probably selected
Barabbas, supposing that his notorious villany would
render it beyond the limits of possibility that the
people should call for him. But listen to the as-
tounding result. The Evangelists inform us that the
chief priests and elders moved and persuaded the

IRIAL AND CONDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 273

people that they should ask that he should release
Barabbas unto them, and destroy Jesus. They
therefore cried out at once, saying, Not this man, but
Barabbas. The heathen ruler, shocked at their bar-
barity and cold-hearted cruelty, said, "What will ye,
then, that I shall do with Jesus ? And they all cried
out again, saying, '-^Orucify himr But Pilate, still
determined to do all in his power to save one, of
whose innocence he was thoroughly convinced, asked
them, why cominit so inhuman an act? "What
evil hath he done?" The mob, by this time, hav-
ing become furious with rage, and forgetting even
the forms of law, and trampling under their infidel
feet all justice and mercy, cried out, " crucify him,
crucify him I" They had got beyond the point of
even considering or caring whether their victim was
guilty or not. They preferred Barabbas with all his
crimes, w^ith his character black with the guilt of
murder, rather than the pure, the innocent, the holy
Jesus. And this, too, in the name of religion ! The
infuriated wretches were sustained and urged on by
the chief priests and elders of the Jewish church I
What a chapter in human depravity do we read
here I

But even its darkest pages we have not yet opened.
There is another scene in this terrible tragedy, even
before we reach the crucifixion.

Pilate, though a pagan, made one more effort to
save the life of Jesus. As a last resort, with the
hope of appeasing the rage of the infuriated mob,
he ordered Christ to be scourged. In accordance
with the order the soldiers seized him, dragged him

274 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

into the common hall, and after heaping upon him
every indignity, they platted a crown of thorns and
put it on his head. They then smote him, and in-
flicted upon him a variety of cruel punishments.

While this was transpiring, the mind of Pilate
was agitated by a message which he received from
his wife. She " sent to him, saying. Have thou
nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered
many things this day in a dream because of him."
Pilate, therefore, went into the hall, and observed
with strong emotion the insults and tortures which
Christ had suffered, and the severity with which he
had been scourged by the soldiers. Thinking that
the view of his lacerated body, and his blood-stained
robe would move his persecutors and cause them to
relent, he brought him forth and said, " Behold the
man." " Look upon your victim, dejected, tortm-ed,
faint from loss of blood, and the pains which he has
sufTered. Has he not endured enough ? Shall I not
now release him ? " Imagine the eager crowd looking
up and gazing intensely upon the suffl'rer. But, lest
the spectacle should excite their sympathy and cause
them to relent, the chief priests and the officers with
them, were the first to break the silence and to cry
out, " Crucify him, crucify him."

Pilate, justly indignant at this reply, said, " Take
ye him and crucify him, for I find no fault in him."
" Tlie Jews answered him. We have a law, and by
our law he ought to die, because he made himself
the Son of God." This declaration so excited the
fears of Pilate, that he sought another interview with
Christ, and then continued his efforts to save him.

TRIAL AND COXDEMNATION OF CHRIST. 275

But the persecutors plied him with other arguments,
saying, " If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's
friend ; whosoever maketh himself a king, speaketh
against Caesar." When Pilate heard that declara-
tion, he was still more alarmed, thinking, probably,
that his conduct in this affau: would be represented
at Rome, and that he might be deprived of his office.
He therefore had Jesus brought forth again, and the
very sight of him caused the wnretches who thirsted
for his blood to cry out, "Away with him, away with
him, crucify him."

It was now apparent that further effort to save the
innocent sufferer would be of no avail. And " when
Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that
rather a tumult was made, he took water and washed
his hands before the multitude, saying, I am inno-
cent of the blood of this just person, see ye to it."
" Then answered all the people and said. His blood
be on us and on our children." Horrible, horrible
imprecation ! It is difficult to conceive of an utter-
ance more awful. We cannot contemplate it with-
out shuddering I The chill and horror of the grave
seem to be upon the very words.

Then Pilate released to them the infamous Barab-
bas, and delivered Jesus to be crucified. Although
he had struggled long to save Christ, yet, at last, his
selfishness was stronger than his sense of right and
justice.

XXII.

THE CRUCIFIXION.

"AXD HE, BEARINTr HIS CROSS, WENT FORTH INTO A PLACE
CALLED THE PLACE OF A SKULL, WHICH IS CALLED IN THE
HEBREW, GOLGOTHA, WHERE THEY CRUCIFIED HIM, AND TWO

OTHERS WITH HIM." — St. John xix. 17, 18.

"By tlie dark stillness brooding in the sky,

Holiest of sufferers ! round thy path of wo,
And by the weight of mortal agony

Laid on thy drooping form, and pale meek brow.
My heart was awed ; the burden of thy pain.
Sank on me with a mystery and a chain."

In approacliing the crucifixion of our Lord, I feel
the inadequacy of human language to portray the
thrilling and momentous scenes connected with this
event. Its various features are so marked and pecu-
liar, and so interwoven with the highest interests, as
well as different destinies of the human family, that
no descriptions of mine, at least, can do the subject
justice. Indeed, human thought, probably, can pen-
etrate but a short distance into the mysteries and
results of this solemn tragedy. The very details of

THE CRUCIFIXION. 277

the process of the crucifixion, are most shocking to
a sensitive spirit. The developments made of human
passions and depravity, are such as excite in the in-
genuous heart, the most intense indignation. But,
when we think of the character of the sufferer, —
when we connect his exalted nature with such in-
dignities, his sublime and infinite attributes with
such treatment, his benevolent and glorious mission
with such cruelties, the mind is overwhelmed with
emotion. The more we contemplate the crucifixion
of the Son of God, the greater is our amazement
-that such fiendish passions and divine virtues should
meet upon the same spot, and mingle in the same
picture. We scarcely know which most astonishes
us, the ingratitude, perverseness, and cruelty of man,
or the condescension and love of the Son of God.
" Without controversy, great is the mystery of godli-
ness." Great is the mystery of an incarnate Deity, —
of the mercy of an offended Sovereign, — of the
love of a crucified Redeemer !

The sentence of death having been passed upon
Christ, his enemies proceeded to the work of execu-
tion. The form of punishment decided upon, was
one of the most painful and ignominious that was
known to the Jewish or Pagan world. It was prac-
tised upon slaves and notorious malefactors, and was
common among the Romans, Egyptians, Persians,
and Greeks. It was everywhere regarded as the
fullest expression that could be made towards an in-
dividual, of his disgrace and infamy. Cicero speaks
of crucifixion, as a most horrid and cruel punish-
ment, and one that must be far, not only from the
24

278 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

body of a Roman citizen, but from his eyes and his
thoughts.

Our blessed Lord having been scourged and
treated with every mark of cruelty and contempt
that the malice of his enemies could devise, was
led forth to suffer death. Besides the officers and
soldiers, and a large company of friends and foes
who accompanied him, two notorious thieves were
led forth with him, in order that his disgi'ace might
thereby be increased, and the prejudice of the public
be the more inflamed against him. As a part of his
punishment, he was made to bear his own cross, or
at least the transverse beam of it, to which his
sacred body was to be nailed. Although we cannot
now determine, with accuracy, the path which the
multitude pursued on their way to Calvary, yet an
able commentator informs us that " the Street of
Grief, or Dolorous Way, derives its appellation from
its being the supjx)sed site of the street through
which the chief priests and elders, after binding
Jesus, led him away and delivered him to Pontius
Pilate. It proceeds from the gate of St. Stephen, up to
an archway, which appears to have been at one time
called ' the Gate of Judgment,' because malefactors
were anciently conducted through it to the place of
execution. At the period of the crucifixion, this
gate stood near the western wall of Jerusalem ; but
now it is in the centre of the city. The wall, above
the archway, is supposed to have formed a part of
the house of Pilate ; and the central window is re-
ported to have been the place whence our Saviour
was shown to the people. The street rises with

THE CRUCIFIXION". 279

a gradual ascent towards Calvary, where it termi-
nates."

We may, in imagination, behold the Saviour, in
the midst of the infuriated mob and cruel soldiers,
toiling up this ascent, and scarcely able to endure the
burden which has been placed upon him. Exhausted
by the tortures which he has endured, faint from the
loss of blood, and smarting under his wounds, he at
last sinks to the ground, unable to advance another
step. His groans, and the agony depicted upon his
countenance, call forth fresh insults, and expressions
of contempt from his persecutors. He is goaded on by
them, until at last, convinced that it is not possible for
him to proceed, they called one Simon, a Cyrenian,
who happened to be passing by, to bear the cross.

This Roman custom of compelling the malefactor,
or slave, to bear his own cross, was attended with so
much cruelty and infamy, that "cross-bearing" be-
came a term of the greatest reproach among the
Romans. Plutarch makes use of it as an illustration
of the misery produced by sin, showing that as every
criminal had his own cross to bear, so each act of
transgression carried with it its own torment.

It not unfrequently happened, that the poor victim
was pushed from one side of the street to the other,
by the rabble, and even thrown down by some, while
others urged him forward by acts of the grossest in-
solence and inhumanity. We cannot doubt but
that our blessed Lord had heaped upon him, during
this journey, every indignity which the hatred and
fury of his triumphant foes could devise. Indeed, it
is supposed, with much reason too, that the scourg-

280 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

ing which he received, and the sufferings which he
endured on his way to Calvary, accelerated his death
on the cross, and occasioned the surprise which
Pilate expressed at his speedy dissolution.

As tlie divine sufferer advanced towards the place
of execution, "there followed a great company of
people, and of women which also bewailed and
lamented him." It certainly relieves the awful dark-
ness of this picture, and mitigates the anguish of
the scene, to know that there were some sincere
mourners in this multitude, — some whose lamenta-
tions bore witness to the sorrow and affection of
their hearts. Nor did their sighs of sympathy and
grief escape the notice of Jesus. He knew the
source and the depth of this sorrow. As the pious
women beheld their Master treated with such inso-
lence and inhumanity, in the very city where he had
performed so many acts of kindness, wrought such
mighty deeds, and taught such sublime and heavenly
truths, they could not restrain their excessive grief.
Perhaps there were some in this crowd, who had
been restored to health by Christ, or had received
their sight, or had been cleansed from the leprosy,
and what they witnessed naturally aroused the keen-
est sorrow and indignation. To see their benefactor
arrayed in a scarlet robe, in mockery of his claims,
with a crown of thorns that pierces his fevered brow,
with a reed in his hand for a sceptre, and on his way
to execution, nmst have drawn floods of tears from
even the most insensible of the group. But Christ
does not need their commiseration. If he desired
pity, tlie angels of heaven would weep for him. If

THE CRUCTFIXIOX. 281

he wished to abandon his holy enterprise, and be de-
livered from the hands of his foes, very speedily
might the rabble around him have been exchanged
for the brilliant and powerful hosts from his Father's
kingdom, who would gladly have rushed to his res-
cue! Very speedily would the taunts and insults
of these wretches have been exchanged for shouts of
hosanna to the " King of kings and Lord of lords ! "
Or even without angelic aid, the being who had in-
stantly, by his power, calmed the elements and called
the dead to life, could as easily have sent the living
to their graves. Had he chose, he might have spread
over every street and habitation of Jerusalem the
silence of death. But his benevolent heart was set
upon the redemption of a lost world. He saw into
the future, and his eye ran along the bright train of
results, and the glorious ends which would be at-
tained by the sacrifice that he was making. " For
the joy that was set before him, he endured the
cross, despising the shame."

Turning, therefore, to the mourners, he said in
mild, yet emphatic tones, " Daughters of Jerusalem,
weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for
your children." Weep for the calamities that will
befall this city, its towers, temple, and palaces, in
consequence of these acts of injustice and cruelty !
Weep over the awful fate of its inhabitants ; over
the fearful agonies which they will suffer, when the
storm of divine vengeance shall burst upon them.

And to any, who, in our day, manifest deep emo-
tion in view of the sufferings of Jesus, he would say,
" Weep not for me, but weep for yom-selvcs." Weep
24*

282 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

over your f?ins coininitted again.st a just and holy
God ; over the coldness of your aftections towards
an infinite benefactor; over the slight impressions
that ilie gospel has made upon your heart. Weep
over the ])revalence of vice and infidelity in the
earth, and over the awful doom that awaits those
who are guilty of treading underfoot the Son of God,
and doing despite to the Spirit of grace I

Tlie company having arrived at the place of exe-
cution, called Golgotha, or the place of a skull,
because the bodies of criminals were buried there,
they proceeded to the w^ork of crucifying the Lord
of glory. It was customary to offer to the criminal
a strong wine, mingled with spices, in order to cheer
his spirits, and alleviate his sufferings, by blunting
the sensibilities. But, as though the soldiers were
bent upon aggravating the pains of the Saviour, and
manifesting towards him the greatest possible con-
tempt, they offered to him vinegar, mingled with gall.
And when he had tasted of it, that he might not
seem to shrink from any act of humiliation, he would
not drink it. Thus was fulfilled the words of David,
as recorded in Psalms Ixix. 21 : " They gave me also
gall for my meat ; and in my thirst, they gave me
vinegar to drink." His friends offered him some
wine, mingled with myrrh, thinking that it might
serve to allay his pains. But he received it not, be-
ing determined to endure, without mitigation, all the
agonies of the crucifixion.

The details of this mode of death are too awful,
and too harrowing to the feelings, to be even recited.
A learned physician, in a treatise upon the subject,

THE CRUCIFIXION. 283

has proved that the tortures of the crucifixion must
have been indescribable. " Even the unnatural and
constrained situation of the body, with the arms
stretched upward, sometimes for days together, must
have been an inexpressible torment; especially, as
not the slightest motion or convulsion could take
place, without causing excruciating pain over the
whole body, particularly in the pierced limbs, and on
the back mangled by previous scourging. Besides
this, the nails were driven through the hands, and
sometimes through the feet, exactly in places where
irritable nerves and sinews meet, which were partly
injured, and partly forcibly compressed, by which the
most acute pains must have been excited, and con-
stantly increased. As the wounded parts were
always exposed to the air, they became inflamed.
The same, also, probably occurred in many other
parts, Avhere the circulation of the blood was im-
peded by the violent tension of the whole body."
But we cannot proceed with the particulars of this
cruel death ; for it is too painful to think of the inno-
cent, the holy, the benevolent Jesus, as enduring such
exquisite tortures. The wonder of wonders is, that
such a being should be willing to stoop to such a
humiliation, and offer himself up as such a sacrifice.
Of all Christ's miracles, this is the greatest, the mira-
cle of his love. I can almost conceive of him, as
calling the dead to life, and hushing the wild ocean
tempest, and giving health to the sick, and sight to
the blind, but I cannot begin to measure the length,
breadth, height, or depth of this display of love. My
reason is staggered, when I am told that this sufferer

284 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

is the incarnate Deity, — " God manifest in the
flesh." But if angels cannot fathom the mystery, —
if thc^y der^ire to look into its depths, and are not
able, much less can feeble man. We must wait,
and we are willing to wait, until the light of eternity
sliall break upon this wonderful spectacle, — until
we can see with spiritual organs of vision, some of
the glorious results of this divine scheme of redemp-
tion. Then may we know somewhat of the fulness
of the meaning of that sublime declaration, " God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not
perish, but have everlasting life."

The scene before us is thus beautifully described
by Croly: —

" City of God ! Jem sal em,
Why rushes out thy living stream 1
Tlie turbancd priest, the hoary seer,
The Roman in his pride arc here ;
And thousands, tens of thousands, still
Cluster round Calvary's -wild hill.

" Still onward rolls the living tide,
There rush the bridegroom and the bride ;
Prince, beggar, soldier, Pharisee,
The old, the young, the bond, the free;
The nation's furious multitude,
All maddening with the cry of blood.

" 'T is glorious morn ; from height to height
Shoot the keen arrows of the light ;
And glorious in their central shower,
Palace of holiness and power.
The temple on Moriah's brow,
Looks a new risen sun below.

THE CRUCIFIXION. 285

" But -wo to hill, and wo to vale !
Against them shall come forth a Avail ;
And wo to bridegroom and to bride !
For death shall on the whirlwind ride ;
And wo to thee, resplendent shrine,
The sword is out for thee and thine !

" Hide, liidc thee in the heavens, thou sun,
Before the deed of blood is done !
Upon that temple's haughty steep
Jerusalem's last angels weep ;
They see destruction's funeral pall
Blackening o'er Sion's sacred wall.

" Still pours along the multitude,
Still rends the heaA-ens the shout of blood.
But on the murderer's furious van
Who totters on ? A weary man :
A cross upon his shoulders bound.
His brow, his frame, one gushing wound.

" And now he treads on Calvary,
What slave upon that hill must die 1
What hand, what heart in guilt imbrued.
Must be the mountain vulture's food 1
There stand two victims gaunt and bare,
Two culprits, emblems of despair.

" Yet who the third 1 The yell of shame
Is frenzied at the sufferer's name ;
Hands clenched, teeth gnashing, vestures torn.
The cui'se, the taunt, the laugh of scorn,
All that the dying hour can sting,
Are round thee now, thou thorn-crowned King.

" Yet cur.sed, and tortured, taunted, spumed.
No Avrath is for the wrath returned.
No vengeance flashes from the eye,
The sufferer calmly waits to die ;
The sceptre reed, the thorny crown.
Wake on that pallid brow no frown.

286 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

"At lust the word of death is given,
The form is bound, the nails are driven
Now triumph, Scribe and Pharisee !
Now, Koman, bend the mocking knee !
The cross is reared. The deed is done, —
There stands Messiah's earthly throne ! "

As it was customary, when one was crucified,
to place upon the cross an inscription which indi-
cated the crime for which the victim suffered, Pilate
caused to be written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin,
these words: "This is Jesus of Nazareth, the King
of the Jews." As the cross was near to the city,
many of the Jews wlio had come up to the feast of
the passover, observed, while passing by, tliis inscrip-
tion, and were greatly enraged. And they were the
more excited, because the declaration was made in
Greek and Latin, as well as in Hebrew, thus afford-
ing to foreigners and strangers who came to the city,
the opportunity of reading it. The chief priests,
therefore, remonstrated with Pilate, and said to him,
" Write not the king of the Jews, but that he said, I
am the king of the Jews." " Pilate answered, what
I have written, I have written." " You may put
what construction you please upon the words, but I
shall not alter them." Then the Jews, resolved not
to be baffled in their purpose, turned the inscription
into ridicule ; and passing by they reviled the Sav-
iour, and insulted him in the most blasphemous
manner. In derision, they cried out, "Ah, thou that
destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
save thyself; if thou be the Son of God, come down
from tlie cross." The chief priests and rulers also

THE CRUCIFIXIOX. 287

joined in the outcry, saying, " He saved others, him-
self he cannot save."

But in the midst of these revilings, the lips of the
Saviour are seen to move, and the listener hears this
wonderful prayer, " Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do." Oh what a contrast does
this petition, so full of meekness, forbearance, and
forgiveness, present to the cruel mocldngs of the in-
furiated rabble I One would have supposed that
such a prayer would have touched the hearts of the
persecutors, — that it would, at least, have served as
a check to that rushing tide of mockery that was
sweeping over the sacred mount. But though it was
powerless upon the granite-hearted multitude, yet it
comes to us, as a new and striking evidence of the
Saviour's love. From that gloomy and horrible
spectacle, it seems to rise like an angel form, shed-
ding its light upon the darkness of the scene, as it
ascends to the throne of the Father.

There is, however, one in this group, who docs not
participate in the revilings that are heaped upon the
Saviour, — one whose soul is touched by the power
of the great atoning sacrifice which is being made.
It is a fellow-sufferer ; the penitent thief on the cross.
After rebuking his companion for joining the rabble
in their contempt and blasphemy, " he said unto
Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom." In this simple and affecting petition,
there is a distinct recognition of the innocence and
claims of the Saviour, and of the strong faith of the
suppliant. "And Jesus said unto him. Verily I say
unto thee, to-day shalt thou be with me in Para-

288 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

disc." Thus ready was he to give to the penitent
thief the most positive assurance, that on that very-
day he should be with him in the celestial paradise,
participating in the happiness and glory of his ever-
lasting kingdom.

Christ, also, in the midst of his agonies, mani-
fested the tender and aflfcctionate regard which he
entertained for his mother. Seeing her with other
pious women at the foot of the cross, and observing,
also, John, the beloved disciple, in the group, he said
to his mother, " Behold thy son." Regard him with
all the affection which you have bestowed upon me.
And, turning to John, he said, " Behold thy mother."
Henceforth let the endearing relation subsist between
you of mother and son. And from that period, the
beloved disciple took her to his home, and treated
her with all the respect and affection due to her per-
sonal worth and exalted station.

These acts of mercy and filial love having been
performed, there came over the scene a wonderful
and supernatural change. An intense darkness rolled
in, enveloping not only the sacred mount, but spread-
ing over the whole land, and continuing from twelve
o'clock at noon, until three. At the same time there
came over the spirit of the Redeemer, a still deeper
and more horrible darkness ; a darkness which filled
his soul with indescribable anguish. He felt the tre-
mendous pressure of the penalty of God's violated
law, — that law, the claims of which he had under-
taken to satisfy. Looking up to heaven, the throne
of his Father seems to be vacant. No comforting
angels are around him. No shining hosts, not even

THE CRUCIFIXION. 289

one bright seraph is present to mitigate the dark-
ness of the hour. In the agony of his spirit, he
cried out, " My God, my God, why hast thou for-
saken me ! "

As his sufferings drew to a close, he said, " 1
thirst," when a soldier placing a sponge filled with
vinegar upon a reed, put it to his mouth. Having
received the vinegar, and thus fulfilled the prophe-
cies relative to his sufferings, he cried out, " It is fin-
ished." The great work of man's redemption was
completed. All that was shadowed forth in the
types and sacrifices of an ancient dispensation, was
realized in the mighty events of this hour. The
divine law was satisfied, justice vindicated, and an
exhibition of mercy made, the glory of which would
one day fill the whole earth. " And when he had
cried again with a loud voice, he said. Father,
into thy hands I commend my spirit; and hav-
ing said thus, he bowed his head and gave up the
ghost."

Then followed a scene of awful solemnity, and
teiTible grandeur. The heavens were darkened, as
though the sun was blotted from* the firmament.
The earth shook to its very centre. Even the solid
rocks* were torn asunder. The dead were startled
from their graves, and came forth to gaze upon the
wonderful spectacle. They burst the doors of their

* Mr. Fleming informs us that a Deist who was travelling through
Palestine, was converted by viewing one of these rocks, which
still remains torn asunder; the fissure not being in the weakest
part, but across the veins, showing that it was rent in a supernatural
manner.

25

290 LIFE SCENES OP THE MESSIAH.

tombs, as forerunners of tlic general resuiTeciion
which would take place when Christ should appear
in his great power and glory.

The veil of the temple was rent from the top to
the bottom, thus throwing open the holy of holies,
and signifying that the JMosaic ritual w^as abolished,
and the wall of separation betw^een Jews and Gen-
tiles was thrown down. As this took place at the
time of the evening sacrifice, the high-priest, Caia-
phas, might at that moment have been engaged in
burning incense before the veil, and have witnessed
the startling indication that his office was abolished,
that the ceremonial law had expended its force, and
that a new and spiritual system was opening to the
world.

The Roman centurion, when he observed the
terrible phenomena that accompanied the death
of Jesus, and felt the earth trembling and rocking
beneath his feet, glorified God, saying, Truly this was
a righteous man, this was the Son of God. The
soldiers, also, who were stationed to watch the cross,
were filled with teiTor, and acknowledged, " truly this
was the Son of God."

"And all the people that came together to that
siglit, beliolding the things which were done, smote
their breasts and returned." The conviction now
began to flash upon their minds that they had, in-
deed, crucified the long expected Messiah, — the
King of the Jews. They smote upon their breasts,
being filled with remorse at what they had done,
and fearing the terrible calamities that might befall
their nation on account of this awful crime. The

THE CRUCIFIXION. 291

vision of approaching armies, of stormed gates, of
falling towers, of frantic thousands rushing throuo-h
the streets, of the dying and the dead, floated in
then: imaginations, as they turned and walked away
from this mournful spectacle.

XXIII.

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST,

"AXD THE AXGEL SAID UXTO THE WOMEX, FEAR KOT YE: FOB
I KXOW THAT YE SEEK JESUS, WHICH WAS CRUCIFIED. HE

IS KOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN." — Matthcw xxviii. 5, 6.

The crucifixion of Christ had left the infant
church in tears. The bright hopes of the disciples
had, apparently, faded away, while their enemies
were exulting in their triumph. He who was styled
a king, — who came to establish a mighty empire, —
who had exercised authority over the elements and
powers of nature, was cold and silent in the embrace
of death. The excitement attendant upon his mys-
terious career, wonderful miracles, and sublime
teachings, was succeeded by a sudden and dead
calm. The faith of all who had believed in him,
was greatly shaken. They knew not what course
to pursue, nor to whom they could look for counsel
or consolation. They knew not but that the next
hour, they might be arrested, condemned, and cruci-
fied, as the hated followers of him who had been

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 293

already sacrificed. The pious women who had con-
fided in the Messiah, and sympathized with him in
all his sorrows, were thrown into the greatest per-
plexity and affliction. Early in the morning of the
third day, before the light had dawned, and while
the streets were deserted, Mary, with several other
devoted women, hastened to the sepulchre, bearing
sweet spices and ointments with which to embalm
the body of the Saviour. They desired to make
some expression of their grief, and of their reverence
for the departed Jesus. On their way, they were
troubled to know how they could gain access to the
tomb, and "they said among themselves. Who shall
roll us away the stone from the door of the sepul-
chre, for it was very gi*eat." They were probably
not aware that soldiers had been stationed to guard
the sepulchre, and therefore apprehended no obstacles
from this source to the accomplishment of their
pious purpose.

On reaching the tomb, they were amazed to find
that the stone had been rolled away, and that the
body of Christ was not to be found. For a short
time before their arrival, a great earthquake had
taken place, and " the angel of the Lord descended
from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone
from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance
was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow :
and for fear of him the keepers did shake and be-
come as dead men." At first, the forms of the
angels were not revealed to Mary and her compan-
ions, and they naturally supposed that the body of
their Lord had been removed from the sepulchre.
25*

294 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

Under this impression, Mary hastened back to the
<?ity, to communicate the intelligence to Peter and
John, and to secm-e their aid in finding where they
had laid her Lord. These disciples, on receiving
the startling tidings, hastened without the least delay
to the sepulchre, anxious to solve the mystery which
hung over the whole event. Entering the tomb, they
saw the linen clothes and the napkin lying in an or-
derly manner, indicating that the occupant had left
voluntarily, and with the calmness and composure of
one who had awaken from a long sleep. With their
minds greatly perplexed, and unable to arrive at any
satisfactory conclusion in relation to what had tran-
spired, they returned to the city.

But Mary, unwilling to leave the sacred spot
where her Lord had been buried, lingered about the
sepulchre, and gave vent to her feelings in floods of
tears. In the hope of gaining some satisfaction, she
again stooped down and looked into the sepulchre.
What was her surprise to behold there two angels,
with white resplendent forms, " the one at the head,
and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus
had lain." With their hearts touched with sympa-
thy, they said, " Woman, why weepest thou ? " She
replied, " Because they have taken away my Lord,
and I know not where they have lain him." At that
instant Jesus appeared, though she did not recognize
him, and repeated the inquiry, " Woman, why weep-
est thou?" Having made known to him the cause
of her grief, he again addressed her, and from the
tones of his voice she discovered that her Lord stood
before her. Such was the intensity of her emotions,

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 295

and her excessive joy, that she could only exclaim,
" Rabboni," that is, my Great Master ; and, uttering
the word, she fell at his feet to embrace him.

The question of the Saviour's resurrection from
the dead, is one of vital moment to the scheme of
redemption, and to the hopes of mankind. If the
narrative which is given by the Evangelists can be
relied upon, then is death, that last great enemy,
conquered. The gloom of the grave, to all true be-
lievers, is dissipated, and they may shout in triumph,
" O death, where is thy sting ! O grave, where is thy
victory I "

Let us, then, examine some of the evidences by
which this great historical fact is supported. It is
obvious, that our reliance for proof must be upon the
apostles and their companions. We must summon
them before us as the witnesses in the case, and
judge of the validity and strength of their testimony,
on the principles of sound argument.

In the first place^ ive vwuld inquire into the charac-
ter of those who testify that Christ rose from the
dead. Were they honest, upright, sincere men ? or
have we reason to believe that they deceived the
people ? In applying to their characters the several
tests usually employed in such cases, we can reason-
ably come to no other conclusion than that these
statements are entitled to our confidence. Had they
been men whose greatness, or learning, or eloquence
gave authority to their words, we might suppose
them capable of imposing upon the community.
But they were, most of them, illiterate and obscure
persons, whose influence grew out of their known

296 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

integrity, and their knowledge of the facts in the case.
They did not pretend to possess any extraordinary
skill in metaphysical reasoning, or in persuading oth-
ers to believe, contrary to their own convictions ; but
simply presented the facts and evidence in the case,
and left the argument to rest upon its own intrinsic
merits. Their writings abundantly prove their hon-
esty and sincerity. The several histories which they
have left of the life, teachings, and deeds of Christ,
bear the most decisive marks of their integrity. The
simplicity and artlessness of the style ; the calm
manner in which the most extraordinary and stupen-
dous events are related; the readiness with which
every thing adverse, as well as favorable to their
cause, is related ; their own unbelief, and the instances
of their unfaithfulness to their Master ; the mild lan-
guage in which the treachery and wickedness of
their enemies is recorded, and many other circum-
stances, show that these are not the writings of im-
postors. As we read their records and testimony, the
conviction is forced upon the mind, that we are read-
ing the writings of honest and candid men.

Such is the nature of a fraud, in a case like this,
and such the difficulties in the way of fully estab-
lishing it in the minds of the people, that it would
be almost, if not quite, impossible for an impostor to
proceed many steps without betraying himself, or in
some way defeating his purpose. Now the testimony
of these disciples was not only, at the time it was
given, thoroughly examined, but for ages it has been
subjected to the severest scrutiny of both friends
and foes. It has been sifted, compared with the tes-

EESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 297

timony of other witnesses, looked at in the light of
other facts respecting the life of Christ. The writ-
ings of the Evangelists have been compared one
with another, and every new investigation has af-
forded fresh evidence of their credibility. Nor can
the position be sustained, which has been by some
assumed, that the disciples, though honest, were
themselves deceived ; that such was their enthusias-
tic regard for the Saviour, that they were easily de-
luded. We do not hesitate to affirm, that there is
not the slightest ground for the opinion that the dis-
ciples were enthusiasts or fanatics. On the other
hand, there is the most abundant proof to the con-
trary. For, on all occasions, we find them slow to
believe the doctrines of Christ, and the extraordinary
facts in his history. In many instances, it is only by
repeated instructions, and by evidence piled upon
evidence, that their skepticism is overcome. How
often was the Saviour called upon to censure his fol-
lowers for their unbelief and hardness of heart!
What reluctance they manifested to admit any thing
that was not sustained by the evidence of facts that
were before their eyes I Particularly were they slow
to believe the doctrine of Christ's resurrection.
Thomas declared that he would not believe unless
he saw the Saviour, and put his fingers into the print
of the nails, and thrust his hand into his side. And
the great majority of the disciples were unwilling to
credit the reports which were at first circulated
respecting the resurrection. When Christ appeared
among them and said, " Peace be unto yon," we are
told that " they were terrified and affrighted, and

LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said
unto them, Why are ye troubled, and why do
thoughts arise in your hearts ? Behold my hands
and my feci, that it is I myself; handle me and see,
for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me
have." And in order to fully convince them, he
called for food and ate before them. The testimony
of such witnesses cannot, with any reason, be branded
with fanaticism.

Look, in the next place, at the numher and variety
of the witnesses. Christ first appeared to Mary and
her companions, who were told to inform the breth-
ren to go into Galilee, where they would see the
Saviour. Afterwards he appeared to Peter, James,
and the eleven apostles ; to the disciples who were
on their way to Eminaus ; to the apostles at the sea
of Tiberias, and at one time to five hundred breth-
ren. St. Luke states, that he " showed himself alive
after his passion, by many infallible proofs; being
seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things
pertaining to the kingdom of God." Now, it is not
within the bounds of possibility, that so many per-
sons could have been deceived, as the enemies of
Christ affirm, by an illusion of the senses. They
saw Christ at different times, and under a variety of
circumstances, and heard him discourse upon topics
relating to his glorious kingdom. The very print of
the nails, and the wound in his side, were visible.
He ate and drank before his disciples, and they had
all the evidence of his presence that they had of the
presence of each other. To say, therefore, that so
many persons were deceived, and that their testi-

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 299

mony cannot be relied upon, is to destroy the foun-
dations of all evidence.

If we consider, too, the fact that these persons an-
nounced the resurrection of Christ immediately after
the event took place, and in the very city in which
Christ had lived and taught, our argument is greatly
strengthened. They did not wait until the excite-
ment respecting Christ had subsided, as they would
naturally have done, had they been impostors, but
at once professed their belief in the resurrection.
Neither did they go at a distance from the scene of
the Saviour's history, but promulgated this doctrine
in Jerusalem, and among the most bitter enemies of
Christ. They boldly declared, that He whom the
scribes and Pharisees had rejected, who had been
arrested, crucified, and buried, had risen from the
dead. Nor did they fail to gain, even from among
those who had previously hated Christianity, and
despised the Messiah, many converts to- their doc^
trine. Only fifty days after the crucifixion, three
thousand Jews were convinced of the truth of this,
as well as of all the other important facts in the Sav-
iour's history, and they became the zealous advocates
of the positions which they had so recently denied.
Yes, proud and prejudiced Jews, who were so
strongly attached to their ancient faith, and who, a
short time previous, would have scorned the idea of
being the followers of Jesus, yielding to- the array of
evidence that was brought before them, and to the
influences of the blessed Spirit, became converts to
the new religion. Soon after, the lists were swelled
by the addition of five thousand more ; and, subse-

300 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

qiiently, gi'cat multitudes, unable to hold out against
the proofs that poured in upon their minds, embraced
the truth. They saw that the apostles who con-
tended so earnestly for this doctrine, were men of
undoubted integrity, of pure and blameless lives, —
men whose principles and teachings were in accord-
ance with their own convictions of duty, and sense
of right. Nay more, they saw that they possessed
supernatural powers, healed the sick, and restored
the lame and blind. They heard them speak in
different languages, and elucidate in various tongues,
the principles and doctrines of a purer and sublimer
faith than philosophers had ever taught, or than they
had received from Moses. Parthians, and Medes,
and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and
in Judea, all heard them speak in their own tongues,
"the wonderful works of God."

Such proofs, so various, and coming from so many
different sources, and so often repeated, could not be
resisted. Even the priests, and those high in author-
ity, who did not become converts to Christianity,
were forced to give up the argument, and admit the
truth of the apostles' declarations. All their efforts
to sustain the position, that the body of Christ had
been stolen while the soldiers slept, were utterly
unavailing. The absurdity of this idea was appar-
ent to every reflecting mind. For as St. Augustine
says, " Either the soldiers were asleep or awake. If
they were awake, why should they suffer the body to
be taken away? If asleep, how could they know
that the disciples took it away ? How dare they de-
pose that it was stolen ? " Besides, is it reasonable

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 301

to suppose that a few timorous disciples, who had
fled the moment that Christ was an-ested, and the
boldest of whom had trembled before a maid-ser-
vant, and thrice denied his Lord with oaths upon his
lips, would dare to attempt to take the body of
Jesus, in the face of the armed forces of the king-
dom ? Would such persons peril their lives in such
an undertaking, and one which presented so little
hope of success? The very nature of the plea
which was urged by the Pharisees and rulers, shows
to what an extremity they were driven, in order to
resist the proofs that flowed in upon them that Christ
had risen from the dead. And they were ready to
give to the soldiers large sums of money, to induce
them to testify to this falsehood, for they saw clearly,
that the resurrection of Christ would place their
cause in a far worse position than though they had
never arrested or crucified him. They saw that the
very measures which they had adopted to crush this
new religion, would give to it additional strength ;
would, perhaps, clothe it with a power that would
be irresistible. And at this distance from those
scenes, upon the stand-point that we occupy, we can
see in how wonderful a manner God caused the
wrath of man to praise him ; for the course pursued
by the enemies of Christianity, resulted in giving to
the system a force which enabled it to rise above
and overcome the established religious institutions
of the Jewish nation, and send forth an influence that
is, at this day, felt throughout the civilized world.

But there is another feature in this argument
which should not be overlooked, and that is, the fact
26

302 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

that the disciples could not have been influenced by
considerations of personal interest or advantage^ to
deceive the people in regard to this matter. They,
in common with others, had been looking for a tem-
poral IMcssiah, who would deliver the nation out of
the hands of its oppressors, and restore again the
Idngdom to Israel. And it was with the greatest
difficulty that they could be induced to relinquish
this idea, and admit the spiritual nature and ends of
Christ's mission. They could not believe that he
would die, although he repeatedly predicted it, and
labored to prepare theJr minds for the event. And
when the crucifixion was accomplished, and Christ
was bm-ied, they considered that their expectations
and hopes were buried with him. Entertaining such
views and feelings, it was i^n no respect for their in-
terest to steal away the body of Christ, and pretend
that he had risen from the dead.

Besides, what possible hope could they have had,
that such a story would be believed by the im-
placable and hardhearted Jews ? These enemies,
with the evidences of Christ's miraculous power
and holy life and unparalleled benevolence before
their eyes, still denounced him as an impious im-
postor and blasphemer; still pursued him with a
degree of malice and rage, that could only be satis-
fied by the shedding of his blood. And will such
men believe a story, circulated by his disciples, that
their victim had risen from the dead ? Does it fall
within the bounds of possibility, that they would
credit such a fabrication, when, by so doing, they
would vhtually renounce their ancient faith, expose

RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. 303

themselves to the public scorn, and acknowledge be-
fore God and man that they had murdered the Lord
of glory ? It is difficult to conceive of a company
as embarking in a more hopeless undertaking.
There is not the shadow of a prospect of meeting
with success. Every thing is against them.

In addition to all this, there was no imaginable
advantage to be gained by the disciples, in pursuing
such a course ; on the contrary, they staked every
thing that was dear to them. They were fully aware
of the state of public feeling respecting those who
were in any way connected with Christ ; and they
knew that dungeons, tortures, and the worst forms of
persecution awaited those who should attempt to
impose such a deception upon the people. They
knew^ that they had nothing to gain, but every thing
to lose. They were not madmen nor fanatics. They
were not disposed to peril their reputation, happi-
ness, and lives in a visionary and wild enterprise.
If they faced the rack, and prisons, and storms of
persecutions, it was because they were fully con-
vinced that their Master had risen from the dead.
The evidences of this great truth w^ere before and
within them, and no persuasion, or alarm, or threats,
could induce them to relinquish the position which
they had taken. They could die, but they could not
and would not sacrifice the truth.

This doctrine, then, of Christ's resurrection, sus-
tained by such incontrovertible proofs, looms up as
one of the most important and glorious facts in the
history of our Saviour. As a miracle, it eclipses all
that preceded it. As a doctrine, it is full of the

304 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

richest consolations and most sublime hopes to the
believer. As a testimony in favor of the divine mis-
sion of the Saviour, it stands impregnable. After
the night of gloom that followed the crucifixion, this
doctrine rose upon the ^vorld, with the brightness
and splendor of a morning sun, shedding its light
upon the past, and pouring its glory through the ages
of the future. We stand to-day in the light of this
great truth. It demands our faith. Indeed, we are
personally interested in it. For it bears upon the doc-
trine of our own resurrection. The fact of our death
is certain. Is our resurrection as certain ? That is
the question of questions to us. Will this sleep of
death be broken ? Will the sound of the archangel's
trump be heard in the cold, dark, long silent tomb ?
An inspired apostle has answered in these sublime
words, " Behold, I sho\v you a mystery. We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a mo-
ment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump :
for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible. For this corruption must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immor-
tality."

XXIV.

THE WALK TO ElMMAUS.

"Akd their eyes avere opened, and they knew him: and
iie vanished out of their sight. and they said one to
another, did not our heart burn within us, while iie
talked with us by the way, and while he opened to
US THE SCRIPTURES'?" — Lukc xxiv, 31, 32.

This passage will be recognized as a part of the
interesting account we have of Christ's walk to
Emmaus, with the two disciples, after his resurrec-
tion. These brethren, previous to their departure
from Jerusalem, had heard the report which was cur-
rent, that Christ had risen from the dead. Being the
warm and intimate friends of the Saviour, they nat-
urally made this event the topic of earnest conver-
sation. They discussed the probabilities of the truth
of the report ; compared what they had heard, with
the prophecies which Christ had uttered respecting
his resurrection; and reviewed the life, teachings,
and mighty deeds of him who had fallen a victim to
the rage of his enemies.

While absorbed in their discussions, and perplexed
by the dark mysteries that overhung the events
26*

306 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

which had transpired during the past three days,
Christ joined them in the road, as one who had just
come from Jerusalem, and was travelling in the di-
rection in which they were going. The disciples did
not, at first, recognize who he was ; for we are told
that " their eyes were holden, that they should not
know him." Through some secret, yet powerful in-
fluence exerted upon their vision, in connection, prob-
ably, with Christ's peculiar and supernatural appear-
ance, they were prevented from clearly discerning
him.

The precise nature or character of Christ's body
after the resm-rection, we cannot fully determine.
Some ^\Triters of acknowledged ability have taken
the ground, that he appeared with a purely spiritual
body, bearing, however, such a resemblance to his
natural body, as to be recognized by his disciples.
Others argue, that the same body that was crucified
and buried, rose from the tomb and appeared to the
disciples. To support the first position, reference is
made to the fact, that Mary did not know Christ
when he spoke to her at the sepulchre, and also to
the remarkable instance which occurred in the walk
to Emmaus. In this case, Christ continued with the
two disciples for a considerable length of time, and
conversed witii them. Indeed, he argued the point
of the resurrection with them, and entered into an
elaborate exposition of the passages of Scripture
which relate to his mission, sufferings, and death.
Yet it w^as not until they had reached the end of
their journey, and entered a house and sat down to
partake of food, that " their eyes were opened and

THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 307

they knew him." And as soon as they recognized
him, it appears that he vanished out of their sight.

Soon after, he appeared in an assembly of the
apostles while the doors were shut. His sudden
and unexpected presence so startled them, that they
were terrified, and supposed that they saw a spirit.
But he said to them, "Why are ye troubled?
and why do thoughts, or doubts arise in your
hearts ? " He then proceeded to prove to them that
it was not an apparition which they saw, but that
he was in reality present with them ; and the evi-
dences which he adduced, furnish, in connection
with some other circumstances," the ground of the
position maintained by many, that his risen body
was the same that was crucified and buried. Amid
the conflicting views which have been advanced
upon this subject, and the inherent difiiculties con-
nected with it, it seems to me to be the most pru-
dent course not to attempt to settle the precise
nature of Christ's risen body. That there was, in
his intercourse with his disciples, a marked difierence
in his appearance before and after the resurrection,
no one can deny. It is natural to suppose that the
body must have undergone some changes in its pas-
sage through the regions of death ; but without
speculating upon the nature of those changes, it will
be more to our profit to seek instruction from the
scene before us.

The circumstances that attended this interview
with the Saviour, were peculiarly favorable. The
village of Emmaus was about seven and a half
miles from Jerusalem, and the road to it being com-

308 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

paratively little frequented, alTorded a suitable oppor-
tunity for the most free and uninterrupted conversa-
tion. We may imagine the two disciples walking
together, far from the noise and distracting tumult
of the city, and surrounded by the quiet and beauti-
ful natural scenery that incites to religious medita-
tion. The ties of a warm personal friendship not
only unite them, but they are the firm disciples of
Jesus. Their conversation turns upon the themes
that most deeply interest them. They care little for
the vanities of this world, its honors, riches, and
transient pleasures. Their minds are upon higher
and nobler pursuits. They are men who hunger and
thirst after righteousness, — who are seeking first the
kingdom of God, — who desire to be led into all
truth. They wish to know the true motive and ends
of Christ's advent, and to settle the question of his
resurrection. We have reason to think that they
had higher and more spiritual conceptions of the
Saviour, than most of the other disciples, and they
wished to remove each other's doubts, and establish
each other in the Christian faith. They had proba-
bly little idea of a temporal kingdom, or physical
conquests, in connection with the Messiah's reign.
Tliey loved rather to think of Christ as the Prince
of Peace, the bright and morning star, the image of
the invisible God, the Lamb of God, the Light of
the world. They loved to think of his pure and
holy life, his unparalleled benevolence, his rich in-
structions, his miracles and mighty deeds for the
good of mankind. They doubtless recalled on this
occasion, many scenes in his history, many instances

THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 309

of his kindness and love. They could not but have
referred also to the ingi'atitude and per^-erseness of
those whom he had come to bless, — the insults, ifif-
nominy, and tortures through which he had passed.
The horrors of the crucifixion, with all the attendant
circumstances, were fresh in their memory. They
could not forget the mockings and scourgings, the
nails, the spear, the iron clad soldiery, the malicious
populace, the agonizing cry, " My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me!" Their minds were
thus in a state of preparation for an interview with
the Lord of glory; and, as the Messiah delights to
commune with those who are prepared to receive
and welcome him, he drew near to the two pilgrims
and engaged in conversation with them. Had they
been men whose thoughts and conversation had
been upon worldly things, or whose minds had been
filled with scepticism, or idle speculation respecting
the events in the Saviour's history, he would not
have favored them with his presence and instructions.
But they were in a state of mind to cordially receive
him, to appreciate his teachings, and to receive into
good and honest hearts the revelations of divine truth
which he might make. Indeed, we have abundant
ground for the belief that holy conversation, as well
as religious meditation and prayer, attracts the notice
and presence of the Deity. The prophet tells us,
" Then they that feared the Lord, spake often one to
another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a
book of remembrance was written before him for
them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon
his name." Wherever and whenever there is suit-

310 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

able preparation of heart for a visit from above, God
is ready to appear, and im])art consolation and
instruction. He is confined to no locality, no par-
ticular class, or age of the church. The laws of his
moral kins^dom are as certain and vmiform in their
operation as the laws in the material universe. His
peculiar people, embrace all who love him, who de-
light to dwell upon his character and perfections,
and to converse upon his kindness and tender mer-
cies. The partition wall between Jews and Gentiles
is broken down, and all who have the principles of
faith, obedience, and ]ove in their hearts, constitute
a chosen race, a royal priesthood unto God. The
Saviour made to his disciples this precious promise,
" Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of
the Vv^orld." As though he had said, " I am with
you in the house and by the way, — with you to
guide your footsteps, to protect you from tempta-
tion, to illuminate your minds, and to lead you into
all truth." As the sun shines upon the earth, im-
parting beauty to its landscapes, and verdure to its
fields, so Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, shines
upon the pathway of the true Christian, revealing to
him the beauties of the moral kingdom through
which he passes, and guiding his footsteps towards
the celestial city.

Perceiving the nature of the disciples' discus-
sions, and their reluctance to admit the fact of the
resurrection, with the evidences that were before
them, Christ at first reproved them by saying, " O
fools and slow of heart to believe all that the proph-
ets have spoken I Ought not Christ to have suflfered

THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 811

these things, and to enter into his glory ? " He then
proceeded to lay before them a full and accurate ex-
position of the passages in the ancient Scriptures
which related to himself. Begijining with Moses,
and going through with all the prophets, he explained
in clear and eloquent language, and in a most im-
pressive and convincing manner, the revelations which
had been made respecting himself. Could this con-
versation have been recorded, and preserved for the
benefit of the church, it would doubtless have been
as valuable a document as the sermon delivered on
the mount. We should have prized it as a divine
commentary upon the most important portions of
the Scriptures. It would have been an authority to
which we should have appealed for the settlement of
controverted points, and of the meaning of obscure
passages. It would have been a revelation upon a
revelation, — divine light added to divine light, —
the Deity himself condescending to explain his own
words, uttered ages ago through his inspired servants.
But, for wise reasons, we are not favored with a
record of that divine exposition. Perhaps it is better
for us to investigate for ourselves ; to search the an-
cient Scriptures, and see wherein they testify of
Christ. "We are assured that the Old Testament is
a mine rich in golden truths respecting the Messiah,
and God has given us reason, judgment, conscience,
an inward sense of what is right, just, and true, so
that we can interpret the meaning of language, com-
pare passage with passage, and the prophecies with
the facts in the history of Christ. And he who thus
uses his powers, to the extent of his advantages and

312 LIFE SCEXES OF THE MESSIAH.

ability, will not be deprived of the help of a divine
exposition. For Christ will favor him as he did the
two disciples, will walk with him and impart a
divine illumination. There will be added to the
knowledge gained by his own toil, a divine light that
will render his course "like the shining light that
shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day."
Christ, in his farewell discourse to his disciples, said,
" When the Comforter is come whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spu'it of Truth
which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of
me." He will illuminate your understandings, dissi-
pate your doubts, solve the mysteries that obscure
your spiritual vision, kindle the fires of a holy devo-
tion and spiritual ardor, that no floods can quench,
nor waters drown. Nor do we lack witnesses of the
faitlifulness of Christ in fulfilling his promises. For
in every age there have been saints who have enjoyed
this divine illumination ; who have been rewarded
for their toil to reach the summits of the mountains
of faith, by being permitted to breathe a celestial
atmosphere, and behold with a clear vision those glo-
rious truths that are hidden from the view of the
multitude who remain in the valleys of indifference
and unbelief.

But, let us look for a moment at the line of argu-
ment wliich the Messiah pursued in this memorable
conversation with the disciples. He went back to
Moses, who wrote fifteen hundred years before the
Christian era, and who predicted that " the seed of
the woman should bruise the serpent's head ; " that
" the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a law-

THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 313

giver from between his feet, till Shiloh come." He
doubtless referred to the promise made to Abraham,
that in his seed all the families of the earth should
be blessed; and to the assurance given that the
Lord God would raise up a Prophet,* unto whom
the people would hearken. Having explained these
passages, we may imagine the Great Teacher taking
the earnest listeners through the Psalms of David,
and first calling their attention to the second Psalm,
which is an inauguration hymn, prepared to be sung
at the coronation of the Son of God upon the holy
hill of Sion. There is a fulness of meaning, and a
majesty and glory in the words repeated by Christ
himself, as though coming from the Father. " Thou
art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of
me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine in-
heritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for
thy possession." Next, he refers to a passage in the
sixteenth Psalm, " For thou wilt not leave my soul
in hell ; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to
see corruption : " a passage directly applicable to the
point under discussion ; and one that furnished the
text for Peter's discourse on the day of Pentecost, a
discourse which was blessed to the conversion of
three thousand souls. The twenty-second Psalm
could not have been overlooked, a portion of the
language of which Christ appropriated to himself
on the cross, when he cried, " My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me ! " The vivid description
given in this Psalm of Christ's intense sufferings,

* Deuteronomy xvii. 15.

27

314 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

must have been dwelt upon with peculiar force, and
also the prophetic declaration in the eighteenth verse,
" They part my garments among them, and cast lots
upon my vesture." So of tlie prophecies and allu-
sions in the fortieth Psalm, the forty-fourth, the sixty-
eighth and jiinth, the hundred and tenth, and others.
They all furnished abundant and rich materials for
the discourse of the Saviour, and in the hands of a
divine commentator we do not wonder that they
carried conviction and joy to the minds of the
hearers.

But, as Christ in the prosecution of his argument
entered upon the prophecies of Isaiah, who is justly
called the evangelical prophet, how must his lan-
guage have glowed with a supernatural fervor and
divine eloquence ! "With what a deep pathos, and an
overpowering strain of close reasoning must he have
followed the prophet's description of his birth, life,
mighty deeds, sufferings, and death! We may al-
most hear the sublime words as they fall from his lips,
" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given,
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
the mighty God, the Prince of Peace." With what
force does he then appeal to his career, as an accu-
rate fulfilment of the fifty-third chapter, in which we
read, " He is despised and rejected of men ; a man
of sorrows and acquainted with grief: and we hid

as it were our faces from him Surely he hath

borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows He

was oppressed, and he was afllicted, yet he opened
not liis mouth ; he is brought as a lamb to the

THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 315

slaughter, and as the sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so he opened not his mouth." When the dis-
ciples perceived the bearing of these prophecies, ut-
tered seven hundred years before, upon the history
of Jesus, they could not but have been amazed at
their previous slowness of heart, in believing all that
the prophets had written concerning him. This ar-
gument, coolly examined by the Christian under any
circumstances, carries with it an irresistible power.
But, glowing with the beauty and fervor imparted to
it by divine lips, it could not fail to be deeply im-
pressive. The pious travellers saw its force as they
had never seen it before. They saw, too, in a new
light, the whole of the ancient Scriptures, — the
harmony of the writers, the unity of design that
pervaded all the manuscripts. Around the sacred
writings there shone a divine light, that revealed
their beauties, excellences, and glories. The disci-
ples saw how wonderfully the divine attributes of
wisdom and goodness were displayed in God's deal-
ings with mankind. The plan of redemption ap-
peared clearer to then* minds than ever before. Its
spiritual nature, its provisions for satisfying the
demands of the law, the vast reach of its benevolent
designs, the necessity that Christ should suffer and
die to bring the scheme to perfection, were points
upon which they were specially enlightened.

But we hasten to speak of the effects of this dis-
course vpon their minds. This is given in their own
language, for they said one to another, " Did not our
heart burn within us while he talked with us by the
way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?"

316 LIFE SCEXES OF THE MESSIAH.

Their emotions were such as they had never before
experienced. They were filled with an intense love
for the Saviour, a burning enthusiasm for his cause,
and a strong and holy regard for divine truth. No
sooner did they discover who it was that had been
so eloquently addressing them, than they hasten back
to Jerusalem to assure the apostles that they had
seen Jesus. Their faith was confirmed not only in
the doctrine of the resurrection, but in all the doc-
trines of the Christian system. They saw that
Christ was the all in all, — the chiefest among ten
thousand, and the one altogether lovely. The glories
of divine truth opened before their minds in all their
splendor. The dark clouds that hung around their
pathway on the morning of that memorable day,
were all dissipated. The Sun of Righteousness rose
upon them never again to set.

Their gratitude and love were also awakened.
They could not but have felt under the greatest and
most lasting obligations for the divine condescension
which had been shown towards them. They had
walked with the King of kings and Lord of lords.
They had listened to the instructions of Him who is
now exalted far above all principalities and powers,
and has a name that is above every name.

Their joy, too, was excessive. No language could
express it. Their hearts burned within them while
the Saviour talked with them, and opened to them
the Scriptures. They had, doubtless, a foretaste of
the rapture and glories of heaven. And now, from
the heights of the celestial city, they look back upon
that day as the most blessed of their lives. For not

THE WALK TO EMMAUS. 317

only had their Saviour risen, but he had opened to
them the Scriptures. They had enjoyed the sweetest
and most delightful intercom-se with him. The very
road to Emmaus was sacred in their estimation, for
it bore the footprints of the Lord of glory.

" Abide with us — the evening shades
Begin already to prevail ;
And as the ling'ring twilight fiides,
Dark clouds along the horizon sail.

" Abide Avith us — the night is ehill ;
And damp and eheerless is the air :
Be our companion, stranger, still,
And thy repose shall be our care.

"Abide with us — thy converse sweet
Has well beguiled the tedious way ;
With such a friend we joy to meet,
"We supplicate thy longer stay.

" Abide with us — and still unfold
Thy sacred, thy prophetic lore ;
What wond'rous things of Jesus told !
Stranger, we thirst, we pant for more.

" Abide with us — and still converse
Of him who late on Calv'ry died,
Of him the prophecies rehearse ;
He was our friend they crucified."

Raffles.

27*

XXV.

CHRIST'S ASCENSION.

"AXD IT CAME TO PASS WHILE HE BLESSED THEM, HE WAS
PARTED FROM THEM, AND CARRIED UP INTO HEAVEN. AND
TIIEY WORSHIPPED HIM, AND RETURNED TO JERUSALEM WITH

GREAT JOY." — St. Luke xxiv. 51, 52.

\Ye now approach the closing scene in our Sav-
iour's earthly career. The great objects for which he
left his throne of glory and became incarnate, had
been accomplished. His holy life was before man-
kind as then- great example. He had unfolded his
system of truth, which, as a mighty moral force, was
destined to renovate and bless society. His church
was established, — the apostles commissioned, — the
divine aid pledged to all true believers, and the last
great command given to his followers. He had laid
the foundations of a new and spiritual empire, — an
empire that would rise upon the ruins of all hostile
kingdoms, and extend over the continents and
islands, until every knee was made to bow, and
every tongue acknowledged the authority of the
Supreme King.

Christ's ascension. 319

And now the hour had arrived when Christ must
bid farewell to his disciples, and return to the courts
of his Father. He had remained upon the earth
forty days after his resuiTcction, in order that this
fact in his history might be established beyond all
doubt. At the expiration of this period, he com-
manded his disciples not to depart from Jerusalem,
but to remain and prepare their minds, by public de-
votion and private prayer, for the glorious event
which was about to take place. They were to wait,
too, for the fulfilment of the promise of the Father,
that they should receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
This promise had been repeatedly made to them, to
console them under the departure of their Lord.
Just before the ascension, Christ said to his disciples,
" For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days
hence." " Though I shall be taken from you, and ye
shall see my face, and hear my voice, and receive
my counsels no more, yet the Comforter will come,
who will cheer and refresh you, and guide you into
all truth. Heavenly influences will descend and rest
upon you, imparting a divine illumination, sustain-
ing you under trials, enabling you to obtain the vic-
tory over your enemies, and giving a foretaste of
those joys that will be experienced when we meet in
a brighter and more glorious state of being." Having
thus fortified the minds of the disciples, he led forth
the faithful band out of the city, and passing the
brook Kedron, came to the Mount of Olives, and
paused on the eastern side near the town of Beth-
any. This mount is described as being about a mile

320 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

in length, and seven hundred feet in height ; and as
affording a most beautiful and magnificent view of
Jerusalem and the surrounding country. All the
streets, public buildings, and walls of the city are
distinctly visible from its summit. Here the Saviour
.had that memorable view of the city, when his emo-
tions were so intense that he wept over it, saying,
" If thou hadst known, at least in this thy day, the
things that belong to thy peace : but now they are
hid from thine eyes."

From other points, the views are extremely rich
and grand. One traveller says, " We were conducted
to the end of a ridge stretching three quarters of a
mile from the central height, in order to enjoy the
view eastward, which is very extensive. The plains
of Jordan, the mountain beyond, the Dead Sea, and
the dark and singular chain of mountains on the
•east of it, were in full view. Some of us thought
that we could see the waters of the Jordan : but al-
though this was uncertain, we could easily trace the
course of the river through the plain, by the verdure.
Beyond it, towered the lofty mountains of !Moab,
rising peak above peak, in great majesty, including
among them Mount Nebo."

Upon this beautiful and sacred eminence, stood
the Lord of glory, surrounded by his warm and de-
voted friends. It was early in the morning, while
the dew was fresh upon the trees and flowers, the
atmosphere clear and invigorating, and the mountain
bathed in the glories of the rising sun. Angels were
winging their way towards the summit, to partici-
pate in the solemn grandeurs of the hour, and to

321

attend the great King on his retimi to his celestial
throne. Amid all ranks of spiritual existences, a
profound interest was felt in this great occasion.

The Saviour, raising his hands towards heaven,
pronounced upon his disciples a divine blessing.
While engaged in this benevolent act, — while the
words of wisdom and love were falling from his lips,
he was suddenly parted from them, and borne away
in the clouds towards heaven. As though seated in
a glorious chariot, surrounded by myriads of holy
and resplendent beings, he ascended far above all
principalities and powers, to take his station at the
right-hand of God. The disciples gazed upon the
spectacle with mingled feelings of wonder, awe, and
admiration. They looked, we are told, steadfastly
towards heaven, watching the bright crimson cloud,
and the form of the Saviour, as they gradually re-
ceded from the view, and at last vanished out of
their sight.

From what they had seen of Christ's mighty
deeds, and especially after his wonderful victory over
death and hell, they were in a measure prepared for
this sublime termination of his career. But the
majesty and glory of the scene surpassed their most
vivid conceptions. They were filled, the Evangel-
ists tell us, with great joy. They forgot the suffer-
ings and humiliation of Christ, in the triumphs of
this hour. They forgot the mockings and cruel
insults of the mob, in the reverence and love mani-
fested towards the Saviour by the angelic hosts.
They forgot the toilsome ascent up Mount Calvary,
in their enthusiastic rapture at beholding the illustri-

322 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

Oils ascension of the Lord of glory. They forgot,
too, their own trials and dangers. Their souls were
lifted above the world, above the influence of its
threats, or its hatred. They returned to Jerusalem
with great joy, and were continually in the temple
praising and blessing God. One unceasing anthem
of praise poured forth from their lips. "And they
went forth and preached every\vhere, the Lord work-
ing with them and confirming the word with signs
following." Throughout the Roman Empire they
preached the glorious gospel of the blessed God, —
their earnest and eloquent words being confirmed
by displays of miraculous power.

Among the historical evidences that commend the
fact of the ascension to our faith, we might refer to
Christ's own predictions of the event. On several
occasions he comforted his friends with the assur-
ance, that he was going to prepare a place for
them, — a place where their mourning would be
turned into rejoicing, where no trials would afflict
them, no foes molest them ; but where they would
breathe an atmosphere of universal love. While
exhibiting himself as the bread of life he said, " What
and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where
he was before." And on the day of his resurrection
he said to Mary, " Go to my brethren and say unto
them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to
my God and your God." There was also a vital
connection between Christ's ascension and resurrec-
tion. Had he left the earth in any other than a
supernatural manner, the influence of the doctrine
of the resuiTcction would have been at once de-

CHRIST'S ASCEXSIOX. 323

stroyed. For having risen from the gi-ave, he ap-
peared before his followers as the conqueror of
death ; as one whose nature was not vulnerable to
the darts of the destroyer. He had also proved that
he had supreme control over all the elements of
nature, — proved the truth of his declaration, "All
power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
And shall he, after so triumphant a career, fail at the
last ? Shall he fail of fulfilling his own predictions,
when the failure would be disasti'ous to his cause,
to the hopes of his followers, and to the spiritual in-
terests of the world?

But we have in the Old Testament intimations of
the ascension of the Lord of glory. The twenty-
fourth Psalm is supposed by distinguished writers to
refer to this event. Though written primarily in
reference to the removal of the ark of God to Jeru-
salem, and used, perhaps, when the sacred treasures
were deposited in the temple, yet it is the opinion of
able commentators that the Jehovah of this Psalm is
Christ, and that his entrance into the celestial king-
dom, is the event here celebrated. Viewed in this
light, the language is in the highest degree thrilling
and sublime. " Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and
be ye lift up ye everlasting doors : and the King
of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory ?
The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in
battle." To have the scene fully before the mind,
we must conceive of the Saviour as leaving the
earth in a chariot of brilliant clouds, attended by
holy angels, and approaching the everlasting gates
of the city of God. As they draw near, the angels,

324 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

in a chorus of the sweetest melody, summon those
who are within the walls to throw wide open the
gates and admit the Lord of glory. We must sup-
pose that the occasion attracts a vast multitude, who
crowd near to the gates, and upon the walls, and
who, in their anxiety to know from whom this sum-
mons comes, ask. Who is this King of glory ? Who
is this distinguished and royal personage, for whom
the everlasting gates must be opened ? The attend-
ant angels, in tones of joy and exultation, reply,
" The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in
battle." The great Conqueror who has obtained the
victory over sin, death, and hell, — the leader of the
armies of Jehovah, — the founder of a spiritual and
glorious empire, he is the Lord of glory. Such is the
majesty of the occasion, that the summons and the
reply are repeated, when the gates swing open, and
the King enters with his vast and brilliant retinue,
and takes his seat upon the throne of the universe.

This doctrine of the ascension we regard as a
cardinal principle in the system of Christianity. It
is the topmost stone of the spiritual edifice which
the Saviour erected upon the earth, it is the dome
of the great temple to which the nations are invited,
and where they will all one day assemble for wor-
ship. It is a doctrine in the truth of which we are
individually and specially interested. If the angels,
for whom Christ had not died, exulted in his entrance
into heaven, how much more should we rejoice in
this event; we who are the recipients of the rich
and priceless benefits that flow from it. Could we
fully realize the magnitude and glory of this miracle

Christ's ascension. 325

of miracles, — this mightiest of Christ's mighty
deeds, — could we see its bearings upon our condi-
tion and destiny, and upon the divine government, —
could we gaze with an undazzled vision upon the
glories that it throws over the past history of the
Messiah, we should join the angelic hosts in their
anthems of praise. One shout of triumph would
ascend from the universal church, in honor of the
ascension of the Lord of glory.

It is interesting to trace our personal connection
with this, as well as every other event and achieve-
ment in the history of Christ. For us the INIessiah
became incarnate, assumed our nature, and exposed
himself to the hardships and dangers attendant upon
a career in this revolted province of his Father's em-
pire. To furnish us with a perfect example, he lived
and was tempted in all points like as we are. Upon
the cross, he was our representative, being wounded
for our transgressions, and satisfying for us the de-
mands of God's violated law. He entered the grave
for us, conquered death and hell for us, and rose
from the tomb to establish the fact of our own res-
urrection. And now, in his ascension, our nature is
restored to the position of honor and dignity that it
occupied before the fall. The believer may com-
mune with the Deity, as did our first parents in the
garden, walk with him, receive his instructions, and
those holy influences that he is ready to impart to
those who love him. We are warranted in affirming,
that our nature has, in the person of Christ, ascended
to glory; and Christ sitting at the right hand of
God, forms the connecting link between divinity and
28

326 LIFE SCEXES OF THE MESSIAH.

humanity. He is our representative at the royal
courts of heaven, and the language addressed to the
Ephesians may be applied to all the disciples ; that
God " hath quickened us together with Christ, and
hath raised us up together, and made us sit together
in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages
to come he might show the exceeding riches of his
grace, in his kindness towards us, through Christ
Jesus." In this passage we have not only a clear
recognition of our connection with the resurrection
and ascension of Christ, but a pledge or security
that what he accomplished will be accomplished for
us ; that, though the death sentence is upon the
race, and the gloom of the grave must be encoun-
tered, yet that the grave will be conquered, and these
bodies rise and ascend to glory. The declaration
that " God hath quickened us together with Christ,"
carries with it this pledge. The life principle is vir-
tually imparted to the disciple. As Christ elsewhere
expresses the same idea, " He that believeth in me
shall never die ; because I live, ye shall live also."
" Because I ascend in glory to my Father's kingdom,
ye shall also ascend in glory. Because I am exalted
and enthroned as a King, ye shall be constituted
kings and priests unto God."

The nature and grandeur of that exaltation to
which Christ has attained, and the splendors that
surround him in a glorified state, our imperfect pow-
ers do not enable us to comprehend. We must be-
lieve, however, that he who wrought such triumphs
here, and reflected such honor upon the divine gov-
ernment, and who ascends to receive the rewards

327

due to his character and achievements, must be sur-
rounded by a glory which cannot be surpassed, and
receive an homage which is rendered alone to a
divine being. The simple fact that Christ has gone
where the attributes of his divinity may shine forth
in their full splendor, and where his excellence and
holy vu'tues are universally acknowledged, is enough
to convince us of the glory of his exalted position.
" What," says one, " though the heavens have re-
ceived him out of our sight? there have come mes-
sages from those heavens informing us of his solemn
enthronement as 'King of kings and Lord of lords;'
and notes of the celestial minstrelsy are borne to
mortal ears, celebrating the son of the virgin as the
great ' I am,' who was, and is, and is to come. And
it is in consequence of such messages, that thousands
and tens of thousands of the inhabitants of this
earth bow at the name of Jesus, and that vast ad-
vancements have already been made towards a
splendid consummation, when the sun, in its circuit
round our globe, shall shine on none but the wor-
shippers of the Lamb that was slain."

The Christian, also, should exult in the fact, that
Christ by his ascension places himself in a position
where he can render to the church more effectual
service than though he had remained upon the earth.
He is near to the eternal throne, at God's right hand.
He is our great advocate before the Father, ready
at all times to pour forth his divine eloquence in our
behalf, ready to plead his own merits as the ground
of our justification and sanctification. He appears
in the royal courts of heaven as our representative,

328 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

fitted in every way for his exalted station, and quali-
fied to render to every member of the human family
the most important and valuable services. He
knows, by experience, our necessities ; knows the
trials and temptations that surround the Christian ;
the conflicts and struggles through which he must
pass to secure the prizes of immortality. He knows,
too, just what influences we need to preserve the
soul in the hour of danger, to increase our faith,
and stimulate us in the divine life.

In this station, he can most effectually fulfil his
promise to be with all his disciples, even unto the
end of the world. Had he remained upon the earth,
he would have occupied but one locality at one
time, and would have communicated personally with
comparatively but few of his followers. Now, how-
ever wide may be his church, or numerous his fol-
lowers, he can at the same moment watch over their
interests, listen to their prayers, and send down upon
them the richest of heaven's blessings. As the
water is first lifted from the ocean and converted
into clouds, that extend over the islands and conti-
nents, and thence descends in fertilizing showers, so
Christ has ascended far above all principalities and
powers, that he may more extensively and abundant-
ly bless his followers. And all who approach him in
faith, may partake of the benefits that he is ready to
impart.

There is another special reason why we should re-
joice in the ascension, and that is, its connection
with the gift of the Holy Spirit. "If I go not
awav," said Christ, "the Comforter will not come

CHRIST'S ASCENSION. 329

unto you : but if I depart, I will send him to you."
Why the departure of Christ was necessary to the
descent of the Spirit, we are unable to determine.
It is sufficient for us to know the fact, that the ascen-
sion was thus connected with the reception of this
gift. As Christ had established a purely spiritual
empire, and one that was to be advanced by spiritual
agencies, it seems in accordance with his plans that
he should withdraw his bodily presence, and that the
third person of the glorious Trinity should carry for-
ward the great work which he had commenced, Li
the scheme of redemption, we have thus distinctly
developed the agency of each of the persons of the
Trinity. Had not the influences of the Spirit been
granted, we know not but that the sufferings and
death of Jesus would have failed of securing the re-
generation and sanctification of men. Such is the
extent of the alienation of our race from the Father,
and such the depth and strength of human deprav-
ity, that the agency of the Spirit was necessary to
render operative and effectual the atoning sacrifice
of Christ. Without this influence, even the tremen-
dous pressure of motive that comes from Gcthsemane
and Calvary, — from the teachings of Christ, — from
the revelation he made of the eternal world, would
not have been sufficient to bring man to tlie exercise
of repentance and faith. The apostles, themselves,
who had enjoyed the personal instructions of the
Saviour, needed the aid of this Spirit to enable them
to maintain their faith amid the bitter storms of per-
secution that raged around them. They needed it
in their struggles against systems of idolatry, and in

330 LIFE SCENES OF THE MESSIAH.

their labors to plant among the nations the institu-
tions of Christianity. The sacred historians needed
this Spirit to keep them from error, and to guide
them into all truth. "We need it, to open to our un-
derstandings the Scriptures, and to carry home to our
hearts those principles that will make us wise unto
salvation.

The goodness of Christ, therefore, is displayed in
his departure from the earth, as well as in his advent.
And we should rejoice that while we have an elo-
quent advocate at God's right hand, there is also
abroad in the earth a converting and sanctifying
agency, — a spiritual power that is moving upon the
nations, regenerating the hearts of men, and prepar-
ing multitudes to ascend to heaven and reign with
Christ amid the joys and splendors of his everlasting
kingdom.

END.

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